Auction to help trio caught in blast
The young Taranaki photographer and videographer who was seriously burnt in a gas explosion has woken from his coma.
Meanwhile, friends of 26-year old Ben D’Ath are rallying round to help him, his girlfriend Leticia Nixon, and their downstairs neighbour, Kerry Roach, after their building burst into flames on December 29.
D’Ath is still in Waikato Hospital but is out of the induced coma, Taranaki videographer and friend Mark Lahood said.
Lahood and a group who know D’Ath are holding an auction to raise money for the trio.
‘‘Basically it’s all local businesses and artists [donations],’’ he said.
‘‘We wanted to make it people who had a relationship with
Ben.’’
D’Ath, Nixon and Roach lost all of their belongings when their house burst into flames, and while they had some insurance, Lahood hopes to raise between $10,000 and $20,000 for them.
He said they are planning to auction off 21 items at the event, which they have called ‘‘Pennies for Benny’’.
Lahood said he had donated a $1000 voucher, and people could see what was being auctioned off on an Instagram called Penniesforbenny.
So far, an oil canvas painting by D’ath’s dad, Rene, had been posted to the social media account.
The auction is taking place at Our Place bar, in New Plymouth, from 5pm on January 28, and there is a $5 entry fee.
‘‘Anyone can come along,’’ Lahood said.
Lahood said D’Ath had his respirator removed more than a week ago, and he had heard the 26-year-old was ‘‘doing better then they thought’’.
Roach, who helped D’Ath and Nixon escape their burning home as his went up in flames, said it was kind of the Taranaki locals to organise the auction.
‘‘It’s really great,’’ Roach said. ‘‘It’s nice to see everyone come together.’’