Donna Heka

The character of Donna was created as a love interest for established character Rangi Heremaia.[1] Stephanie Tauevihi was cast in the role after at first worrying the producers with the lack of chemistry towards Rangi's actor, Blair Strang.[2] Despite the fast turnaround of the show, Tauevihi enjoyed the experience of working in the soap.[2] After 7 years Tauevihi started to feel she had lost herself in the role and decided to leave.[2] The character was written off as departing to Australia, something which disappointed Tauevihi, who had wished Donna was going to be killed off.[2] In 2010 Angela Bloomfield jokingly suggested that she would bring Tauevihi back if the producers could afford it.[3]

Donna arrived to the clinic and soon started an affair with her paramedic partner Rangi Heremaia (Blair Strang). However, when Donna's family visited, the couple were shocked to learn Donna's father Joe (Tony Burton), was also Rangi's father, making the couple siblings. The two broke up and Donna fled Ferndale. She returned and became a medical assistant. After a failed attempt at a relationship with Frank Malone (Christopher Hobbs), Donna helped prove Rangi was innocent when he was accused of abusing elderly women and the two started another short lived controversial relationship. Donna briefly dated John Harlen (Matthew Chamberlain) and won a recording contract with her ex-husband Eddie Heka (Hori Ahipene). The two started an affair and Donna met Willy Whaia who she eventually suspected may be her true father. Donna had a DNA test done and was shocked to learn he was indeed her father and she was a result of an affair. However, when Willy died, his brother Te Wero confessed he was Donna's true father. Having broken up with Eddie, Donna looked forward to a future with Rangi but he had moved on and Donna rebounded with Paul Exley (Rory Williamson). Donna was framed by her neighbour for murder and Rangi helped clear her. The two finally reconciled and got married. Donna had a pregnancy scare and decided to have a family with Rangi but her low fertility forced to two to start IVF treatment.

Rangi mysteriously went missing and weeks later his body was found. A devastated Donna refused to believe he had killed himself and eventually discovered he was having an affair and his mistress' husband Kim Tairoa (Patrick Kake) had drowned him when he had announced his devotion to Donna. An emotional Donna had a one-night stand with Victor Kahu (Calvin Tuteao) and suffered a mental breakdown leading her to kidnap Harry Warner (Joshua Thompson). Following her recovery, she got together with Harry's father Chris (Michael Galvin). Donna took in Rangi's daughter Tash (Michelle Stewart) and broke up with Chris when Dom (Shane Cortese) manipulated Tash into claiming Chris had molested her and revealed that Chris had cheated on her. Donna turned to Victor for support and the two started a relationship. Whilst Victor was in remand for murder, Donna bid her farewells to Ferndale and moved to Australia with Tash. She returned to attend Tama's (David Wikaira-Paul) wedding before she returned to Australia with a newly released Victor. Toni (Laura Hill) announced Donna was going to return to be her bridesmaid but she bailed several days before the ceremony. Donna and Victor sent Chris a card to express their sadness that they could not attend Toni's funeral.

Tauevihi won the award for "Best Supporting Actress" in the 2000 TV Guide Television Awards.[9] Her run of storylines have been described as "spectacular"[10] and the character herself has been labelled, "iconic".[11] The incestuous relationship between Rangi and Donna proved to be one of the soap's most iconic storylines, with the wedding episode being singled out as one of Shortland Street's best bits.[1][4][12][13][14][15] In 2012, the character was named as one of the standout characters of the show's first 20 years.[16]