Needle-in-ahaystack is discovered

A trans-tasman needle-ina-haystack search for the best friend of a Kiwi expat at death’s door defied the odds and successfully found a woman known only Raewyn after going viral on social media.

Thanks to the efforts of Marie Duncan’s mates, she will be reunited with Raewyn De Rose, of Feilding, at a Sydney Hospital bed.

Duncan has been in the intensive care unit at St George Hospital for more than a month, after she collapsed on her way to work.

She was then diagnosed with pneumonia and almost died from complications.

Friends Linda Wood and Ross Mckay, originally from New Zealand themselves, sprang into action to try and find her best friend as Duncan’s health declined to the point where she couldn’t talk or write when diagnosed with pleurisy, a debilitating affliction.

All they knew about De Rose was her first name, that she had a teenage daughter they thought was called Kara and that she lived in the North Island, maybe in Foxton.

Foxton was in fact Feilding, and Kara is Kiah.

As Duncan’s condition deteriorated, the pair moved fast to find her best friend before it was too late.

‘‘She had fluid in both her lungs, it was really touch and go... I know if I was in that situation I would want my best friend by my side,’’ Wood recalled.

De Rose met Duncan playing pool in a Bondi Beach bar 30 years ago, and the pair had grown so close Duncan was godmother to her daughter, Kiah.

De Rose was amazed Wood and Mckay managed to track her down with so little information and shocked to find out the reason she hadn’t heard from her friend for a while.

‘‘Last time I spoke to [Duncan] was six weeks ago. She usually calls on Kiah’s birthday but I knew she’d just been promoted, so I thought she was just working too hard picking up extra shifts.’’

Wood asked her sister, who lives in Foxton, for help and she put flyers up explaining the situation.

‘‘We knew it was a long shot, but we hoped that maybe something would come of it,’’ Wood said.

The search really kicked off once it spread to social media and people began sharing pictures of the flyers online.

Mckay eventually found De Rose and contacted her last Friday.

‘‘I finally found her through Facebook at the end, which I’m thankful for. I’m in my 60s, so I wasn’t too sure how to use it, but I’ve worked it out now.’’

De Rose immediately began organising a flight to her friend’s side for herself and her daughter.

‘‘I just have to be there so she can hear my voice, and I can tell her [getting this sick] was a bit much just to get me to fly over and see her.’’

Unfortunately, De Rose can only stay for three days, she said. She has just started a new job and had to borrow money for the lastminute trip

Duncan’s recovery is going to be a long, tough-slog and De Rose planned to head back over as often as possible until her friend was well again.

De Rose said she was so thankful to Wood and Mckay for giving her the chance to be there.

‘‘When you’re miles away from people you care about it makes it a lot more devastating.

‘‘The most amazing thing was they persevered... They knew how much we mean to each other and kept looking.’’