More than $50k for carjack hero
Donations for a tradie injured helping an elderly woman during an alleged carjacking at a Hamilton supermarket have passed the $50,000 mark in three days.
Gareth Godfrey was seriously injured when he came to the aid of a woman who was being attacked by two females and two males on Tuesday, only for the assailants to turn on him.
He described seeing one of the males grappling with the woman in the Rototuna New World car park, grabbed him, and was ‘‘hit from behind and run over’’.
One of the assailants ‘‘punched the s*** out of me’’ while he was on the ground and his leg was ‘‘totally smashed’’, he said.
Doctors have told him it will be at least three months, and maybe as long as six months, before he can walk again.
When first reported about Gareth Godfrey on Friday the page had raised just under $5000, and at the time of writing it stands at $51,611.
Asked about his reaction to the amount of money raised so far, he said he ‘‘can’t believe people would do that for me’’.
’’I didn’t do anything.’’
His wife Rose said they had moved into their current home four years ago, so still have a mortgage to pay on top of the usual cost of living expenses.
‘‘He’s looking at taking six months off work,’’ she said.
‘‘This will take the financial burden off us. We’re just focusing on what he needs to recuperate.’’
Mark Lupton, who witnessed the aftermath of the alleged carjacking and set up the Givealittle page, said he was ‘‘blown away’’.
‘‘Way more than I expected.’’ He watched over the weekend as the amount climbed ‘‘every second, every minute’’.
Once had reported on Godfrey’s situation ‘‘it went nuts, absolutely nuts’’.
‘‘I knew they were in for a tough road,’’ he said.
‘‘It just seems to have struck a nerve around the country.’’
Rose said one of the most amazing things for them has been reading the comments attached to the donations, which included some ‘‘unreal’’ comments.
One person who donated said ‘‘each donation small or large sends a message of admiration for what Gareth did for a helpless woman’’.
One said they use the supermarket at the centre of the alleged attack, as does their elderly mother.
‘‘[I] would really hope someone would step in and help her as well.’’
Another simply said ‘‘that could have been my mum, wife, sister or daughter. I find your bravery touching bro’’.