Hunter goes the extra mile

A teenage boy has managed to raise almost $2000 for a Tauranga woman who broke her neck while surfing.

When Hunter Wingfield, 13, heard Amanda Lowry, his mother's friend of 30 years, had been seriously injured, he knew he had to do something.

The accident left Ms Lowry confined to a wheelchair with only partial use of her hands.

"It's mum's best friend. We used to go around there all the time. She was a very active lady," the Year 9 Mount Maunganui College student said.

He was sitting in the spa when the idea came to him.

"I got the idea that I was going to get some drinks from Gilmour's and sell them around school."

But the fundraising did not stop there the principal also agreed to a school-wide mufti day.

Hunter spoke about the cause in assemblies and found everyone was more than happy to get behind it.

He had expected to make just over $100 but was amazed when the total came in at $1908.60.

With the money in hand, Hunter made the trip to the Auckland Spinal Unit with his parents and grandparents to see Ms Lowry.

"She was pretty stoked," he said. But seeing her for the first time after the accident was tough.

"It was good to see her but you can tell how much work it is for her and how hard it is. "We all pretty much ended up in tears."

Ms Lowry said she was "gobsmacked" by Hunter's support.

"Phenomenal. I don't believe this incredible 13-year-old pulled that off. It's amazing," she said.

Ms Lowry said every bit helped as she would not be able to start work again for another six to 10 months and her partner Gemma Holroyd had spent the months since the accident caring for her and their children.