The sudden death of an Auckland podiatrist, who was about to become a father for the third time, has devastated his colleagues.

Khaliq Zullal, 34, died on New Year’s Day, four months after being diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer.

Jennifer Pelvin, the chief executive of Podiatry NZ, said Zullal’s wife is due to give birth in March. He also left behind two young children and his elderly parents.

The couple, who were both podiatrists, had recently set up a business called Mobile Feet Podiatry, which had a number of branches in Auckland.

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Zullal had lived a remarkable life, Pelvin said, escaping from Afghanistan when he was a young teenager.

He was crammed on to a fishing boat with 438 other people who were bound for Australia. The boat was meant to carry only 40 people.

The boat’s engine failed and a storm hit.

As all seemed lost, those on board were miraculously rescued by a Norwegian container ship, the MV Tampa, but the Australian Government refused them entry to Australian waters.

This sparked an international diplomatic row, known as the Tampa affair, with those on board as political pawns.

New Zealand agreed to help out and Zullal was one of 131 people allowed to come here, Pelvin said.

Four years later Zullal was reunited with his parents, who also made it to New Zealand. In the following years Zullal attained two university degrees, in health science and podiatry, and met and married his wife.

“Khaliq’s death was a tragedy that continues to break so many hearts,” Pelvin said.

“He was an incredibly private person, I think a lot of people in his life had no idea what he had been through as a child and teenager.

“Khaliq was very quiet and absolutely lovely, and together with his wife managed to build a substantial company.”

Pelvin said Zullal’s death was “tragic” as he had been through so much in his life already and should have had many more years to thrive and enjoy with his family.

Podiatry NZ have set up a Givealittle page to raise funds for Zullal’s wife and children.