Dave Letele picks out some furniture Photo / NZ Herald
By Joseph Los'e
A couple and their 12 children narrowly escaped a house fire just moments before the ceiling collapsed right where some of the children had been sleeping.
The Tokoroa Fire and Emergency were called to a house blaze last Wednesday morning. By the time emergency services arrived, the home was well ablaze internally.
Fortunately, Nooroa Paora and his partner Renee McGee managed to round up their 12 children - aged 18 months to 18 years old - and get them out of the house to safety.
Paora’s brother Fred Woodthorpe told the Herald: “My brother just managed to get the kids out the door and the ceiling collapsed in the rooms where the children slept.
“We are just thankful no one was injured. My brother said it was like watching a movie, but it was real life.”
Emergency services were called to a blaze in the South Waikato District at 4.49am, Wednesday April 26. It is believed the fire was started by an electrical fault. FENZ has not yet released its findings.
Community rallied
Woodthorpe said his brother was a proud man and would never ask for help.
“My brother and his children just sat outside the house all day, until someone came to offer them support and make sure they were okay,” Woodthorpe said.
He said the Tokoroa community, the PIC Church and relatives rallied around the whānau initially with accommodation and donations.
Woodthorpe said the whānau were able to quickly find a replacement home - and that’s where Dave Letele entered the scene.
Because the whānau escaped with just the clothes they were wearing, they were all in dire need of a guardian angel. Woodthorpe wrote to Letele to ask the brother if he could help his whānau out.
Unbeknown to Woodthorpe, his brother-in-law was one of the first people to back Letele’s BBM charity and paid for equipment for his first gym.
Asked for help
“Kia orana Mr Buttabean,
“I am reaching out to you as I don’t know where else to go.
“My brother who lives in Tokoroa last night lost everything in a house fire. He has 12 children, my nieces and nephews.
“The amazing community in Tokoroa is coming together, however I am based in Auckland and heading down there with items I have brought myself. (Clothes, kitchenware, blankets and pillows)
“I am reaching out I hope of possibly getting help from your amazing organization. We are a proud family who don’t often ask for anything. But with how today’s prices are we cannot get everything needed.
“It would be amazing to be in touch and get some kind of help. I don’t know what to ask for or where else to go to. But I know you have helped many and hope to be a part of that help.
“Your help would mean the absolute world to us!”
Shopping expedition
Help is just what Letele has done.
Yesterday he loaded up beds, couches, a washing machine a fridge and loads of other home furnishings, clothes and food and drove to Paora’s new whare.
Not satisfied with some of the material, Letele went to a store in Tokoroa and purchased a new couch, table and chairs.
Letele said witnessing the whānau’s faces was payment enough for him and the fact that he already had a tie to this whānau made it even more wonderful.
“I am just so glad that we were able to help this whānau out,” Letele told the Herald.
“If we can help support a whānau, then that’s what we do. I am glad Fred reached out to me direct and we were able to get his whānau smiling again.”
A Give a Little page has been set up to help the whānau here.
- RNZ