It is because of generous, kind-hearted people like you that Geoffrey is alive and well today. We couldn’t be more grateful for your life-saving support.
It was a late summer afternoon, and Geoffrey was out mustering his sheep and working the dogs…
...when something went wrong with his quad bike.
‘I was thrown from the bike as it rolled,’ Geoffrey says. ‘The bike landed on top of me, rolling another 3 or 4 times, and landed in the gully.’
For a moment, Geoffrey lay on the ground, winded and stunned. But when he sat up, all his limbs seemed to function.
‘I thought I’d dodged a bullet,’ he remembers.
Somehow, Geoffrey managed to get his quad bike upright, and it revved back into life. Half an hour later, he arrived back at home…
‘My wife Johanna asked me if I was ok, I was looking very pale and was sweating badly.’
Deeply concerned, Johanna rang their GP, who told the couple to call an ambulance immediately.
“At this point, I felt I needed to go to the toilet. Johanna assisted me out of my chair and to the bathroom where I collapsed and knew nothing more until I woke up in the Waikato Hospital Intensive Care Unit two days later” said Geoffrey.
Geoffrey and his wife live 32kms from Te Awamutu, so the ambulance arrived not long after he collapsed. But when the ambulance driver arrived on the scene, he realised Geoffrey had no time to lose. Geoffrey needed to get to hospital fast, so the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called in to help.
This flight could well have saved Geoffrey’s life. You see, he was suffering from severe internal bleeding, and had damaged his kidney, spleen, and pancreas. If he’d arrived at hospital any later, he might not be alive today.
Geoffrey was discharged after 2 months in hospital and ordered by his surgeons not to do any physical work for 18 months, his body still needed time to heal. No small feat when you have a farm and a hunting lodge to run, but he knew he was lucky to be alive and followed all recovery instructions.
But this is not the end of Geoffrey’s story....
‘Over these 18 months my hunting companion and South Waikato local Graeme would call in regularly and entertain me with his latest hunting stories. One morning, he arrived and said “I have a job for you.... I know your 18 months are up, and there is evidence of a good pig up the back boundary, and you're coming with me to get it.”
Geoff agreed, unaware of what was about to unfold…
They were successful in their pig hunt but while walking back Geoffrey’s foot got caught in tree roots and he fell backwards.
He had shattered his ankle and broke his tibia; they were still 100 metres deep in the bush. Graeme made a splint and a crutch out of tree limbs, but every time Geoff stood up, he fainted. They knew he needed medical assistance and fast, so Graeme headed for help...
Help came in the form of your Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter. Geoff was stretcher-carried out of the bush by the flight paramedic crew, lifted over a fence and then loaded into the helicopter.
“By road from where we were would’ve taken a 1 ½ hour drive, some of which is on rough, bumpy roads to get to the hospital - the rescue helicopter took 8 minutes” says Geoff.
You do not expect to be rescued even once let alone twice but Geoffrey was…” I am ever so grateful to the Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter.”
As a charity, the only way we can take to the skies at a moment’s notice is because of our truly incredible supporters. It was your support that enabled us to get to Geoffrey’s property, secure him safely onboard, and fly him directly to hospital – thank you so much!
14 years later, Geoffrey has had no further accidents and has now fully recovered. However, in the last 3 years Geoffrey and Johanna have experienced some challenging issues, requiring assistance from Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Rural Support Trust.
‘They were absolutely amazing they help the rural community in so many ways whether its legal advice, financial employment or natural hazard advice there are always there to assist if asked’ says Geoffrey and Johanna.
Both Geoffrey and Johanna are incredibly grateful to the two charities and want to give back. Therefore they have created the Maungahau: Walk for a Cause, as a thank you! This charity walk is a 6.5km or 10km option cross country walk to raise vital funds for your Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Rural Support Trust on their Maungahau Farm in Wharepuhunga, South Waikato.
When you reach the peak, you will survey the natural beauty of the greater Waikato and well beyond viewing the vast area these two charities serve 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
‘We urge people to please support our fundraiser to help these two essential charitable trusts to undertake their work within our communities’ says Geoffrey and Johanna.
If you would like to support Geoffrey, or to be involved, please visit: https://venturerfishingcharterskawhia.rezdy.com/660987/maungahau-2024-walk-for-a-cause