Helping to support the youngest victim in the supermarket terrorist attack

Ezmeralda Johns was the youngest victim in the terrorist attack at the LynnMall Countdown on 3 September 2021. Her injuries were horrific and extensive and she spent weeks in intensive care; her recovery will be an uphill battle for a long time. Needless to say, she is unable to work, and her income has been reduced to ACC payments which total 80% of her previous income. This compensation does not cover the time her husband needs to take off work to care for her, or any of the other costs associated with such a psychologically and physically destructive attack and recovery.

Like many of the victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks, this young woman is a migrant – she came from South Africa to live a better life in New Zealand. Now she has lost everything except her husband. Ezmeralda's parents are in South Africa and would love to come to New Zealand to visit and help care for her. We would like to raise funds to cover her parents' visit to NZ and reunite them to help with the ongoing impacts of that terrible day.

Anything we can raise towards this goal would be a huge help to Ezmeralda and her family. Money doesn't change what has happened to her or speed up her recovery but it will help her to see her family and be able to be supported by her husband without worrying about the costs. All money will be given directly to her.

The money will be used to help in Ezmeralda's recovery, allowing her husband to take time off work to get her to appointments and ensure her recovery it going as it should be, and to support Ezmeralda’s parents to visit NZ temporarily and be reunited with their daughter.