Reuniting Shirley and Gerald: A Journey of Faith, Love, Resilience, and Hope

Our parents, Shirley and Gerald, have been married for 50 years and dedicated much of their lives to serving communities as ministers and social workers. Their current home, the first they owned, was intended to be their 'forever home,' paid off and well-suited for retirement.

Last year, their lives were turned upside down by a car accident. Mum suffered a permanent spinal cord injury and now lives with tetraplegia, requiring hospital-level care in a unit attached to a retirement village. Dad recovered at home alone, as their house couldn’t accommodate Mum’s needs.

To be together again, they’ve decided to sell their home and plan to secure a small 2-bed unit in the same village. This move provides many practical benefits for Dad who currently visits Mum for several hours each day and will give Mum some independence using her power chair to “go home” whenever she wishes. It will also mean they can enjoy shared moments with family and grandchildren.

Unfortunately, there’s going to be a shortfall between the proceeds from their home sale and the cost of the unit of approx $100,000. We are asking for help to bridge this gap so our parents can finalise their decision in the timeframe required.

We have also applied for permanent injury compensation from ACC and await their decision.

We sincerely thank those that have already supported us over the last year. Your love and care has carried us through these challenging times.