Rachel Hunter's heartbreaking visit to NZ

One of Spy’s favourite Kiwis, Rachel Hunter, is back home in Los Angeles after spending several months here with her beloved mum Jeneen Phillips, before she passed away in May.

Since Christmas Hunter, 47, has taken her social media followers on a spiritual journey, sharing the precious time spent with her mum, who was battling cancer. Hunter, her children Renee and Liam Stewart and sister Jacqui cherished their time visiting all the places special to Jeneen and the family.

Part of Hunter’s departure post read: “I leave my Motherland for Los Angeles. Since Mum’s passing the healing process of being home has been filled with a lot of love, sadness, support, and quiet anger (the “why” phase). Being able to revisit many places we spent time together, as well as places we spent her last months together. (Those were hard.).”

This week Hunter opened up to Spy and thanked her fellow Kiwis for their support.

“It was special being home in New Zealand. A heartbreaking time, but healing, with so much love and support from family, friends and the beautiful support from New Zealand.

“I’m now back in Los Angeles with my kids and sister and furry family.”

In the last few weeks of her stay Hunter caught up with TVNZ and producers to put the finishing touches on the second season of her mega successful series Tour of Beauty, which Imagination TV sold into more than 150 countries.

This time Hunter’s global search for the secrets to lasting beauty and wellbeing continues through the Americas — from the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in Peru to the body-conscious beaches of Miami, from a Rastafari village in the heart of Jamaica to the fashion capital of New York City, where her international modelling career took off almost 30 years ago.

“I am hoping everyone in NZ is going to enjoy Season 2 of Tour of Beauty as much as I did filming it.”

• This article was first published on spy.co.nz and is republished here with permission.