The sole survivor of the Waverley crash where seven people died, including her partner and two children, is having to learn to walk again.

Ani Nohinohi is the only person to survive the two-car crash that left seven people dead including her partner Jeremy Thompson and her daughters Nivek Madams, 8, and 8-week-old Shady Thompson.

As well as Thompson and the two girls, four elderly people travelling in the second vehicle were killed instantly in the June 27 crash.

They were Ian Porteous, 80, and his wife Rosalie Porteous, 76, as well as Ian's sister Ora Keene, 84, and close friend Brenda Williams, 79.

Nohinohi was taken to Wellington Hospital in a critical condition but had recovered to a stable condition.

A family spokesperson said that while her condition had improved, she was "shocked" at the death of her daughters and partner.

"She knew about her girls but she didn't know about Jeremy," the spokesperson told Stuff.

"Her family didn't inform her about Jeremy, they thought they would save that for Jeremy's family to let her know.

"She took that really quite hard."

The Waverley crash was the worst on New Zealand roads in 13 years.