Life Flight

I chose to donate to Life Flight and Ronald McDonald House because they helped save my sister Freda and took care of our family.” Says Louie, “I really like planes, and whenever we see Life Flight in the sky, we say, ‘Look, there’s Freda’s plane!’

Every Sunday, rain or shine, ten-year-old Louis hops on his bike and heads around his regular neighbourhood route, selling chicken eggs. He’s been saving every penny for two years and has finally saved up $2,000 for something very special. The organizations that helped save his younger sister Freda.

Seven years ago, when Freda was born in Blenheim Hospital, the doctors quickly realized she was in danger. There was a critical issue with her bowels, and a ticking timer until it would put her at risk.

Wellington Hospital was her best option for care, and Life Flight could get them there.

Almost immediately we were told a flight had been arranged for us with Life Flight,” says Kate, Freda and Louis’ mum, “we spent the next three weeks living in Wellington while Freda was in NICU and once she was cleared to come home, Life Flight brought us all back.

Louis was only four, but he still remembers that flight, and it put things in perspective. His baby sister and family recieved a lot of support from our donors, and it all worked out because of it.

After two full years of peddling around the neighbourhood, Louis’ moneybox was weighing him down. He just had to decide how to spend it.

“We didn’t even push or suggest where he should put it, he came up to us with the people he wanted to support!” says Kate.

For Louis, the choice was obvious. He wanted to donate $1000 to the Life Flight Trust for flying his baby sister, and $1000 to the Ronald Mcdonald house for being their second home in Wellington.

So, Louis, Freda, Kate, George and Grannie got aboard the ferry and headed to Wellington to make their donation. They saw the Westpac Chopper and boarded the Air Ambulance plane, making brand new memories

“It was surreal being back at the Life Flight base. I still have so many strong emotions about that time of our lives, but being back there was very therapeutic,” says Kate.

Donations from our supporters, like Louie, keep our Westpac Chopper and fleet of Air Ambulance planes flying. Saving lives, reuniting families, and getting patients to critical care simply wouldn’t be possible without the community. Thank you to all our donors like Louie who are keeping our service available for whoever may need it.

After all that work, we had to know, how does Louis like his eggs made for breakfast?

“I can’t even eat them!” Louis giggled, “I’m really reactive.”