Goodwill flows for bus fire family
The Foxton community is rallying together to help a terminally-ill woman whose home burnt to the ground this week.
The past few years have been tough on Heather Gregg – she was diagnosed with bowl cancer about three years ago.
Then on Tuesday night, Gregg and her children watched their beloved house bus go up in smoke.
Since then she’s been overwhelmed with support and a St John work colleague has created a Givealittle page to help her.
It has raised nearly $3000 in two days.
Fire investigators have also identified the cause of the inferno that ripped through the bus on Tuesday evening as an electrical fault.
Gregg said she was ‘‘devastated’’ to lose everything she owned.
Since the fire, Gregg’s family had been inundated with donations of blankets, food and clothes.
‘‘Lot’s of people are wanting to help. It’s been so lovely.’’
She said family members brought around food for her and her three children, while Foxton residents offered to donate furniture and money.
Gregg bought the bus for about $15,000 three years ago. When she was diagnosed with cancer, living in the bus offered her a more peaceful existence and a way to spend time with her children.
She spent about $10,000 renovating the bus with new carpet and solar panels.
It was her home and it was ‘‘heartbreaking’’ to watch it burn to a shell before her, on Spring St.
‘‘I’m feeling a lot more positive now. I slept well, but then I walked out in the morning and it’s still sitting there. It’s hard to look at.
‘‘So the next step is actually just getting rid of it.’’
Gregg said she and her family were safe, had great support and were lucky the bus was insured.
‘‘I just want to thank everyone for the calls and food. It really gives you faith in humanity again. Even just the small donations of money will help a lot.’’
She said she was looking forward to the bus being removed and spending time with her children.