Editorial: Bay folk show they have big hearts

Every now and then, we get a story that touches the heart and provokes a strong reader response.

We had one such story this week in Rob Foster.

Mr Foster is dying of cancer and had just returned home with his family from a Fiji holiday, anonymously paid for, only to discover all their firewood had been stolen.

The firewood, donated by family and friends, was taken from a shed on their Ohauiti property and nothing else was stolen.

I struggled to believe my eyes when I read the story. This man and his family are suffering a terrible ordeal. The last thing they need is to become crime victims.

Heating is important for us all during winter but it is especially vital for Mr Foster, because his chemotherapy means he feels the cold more than normal.

We published the story on Wednesday on page 3 - and the response from readers has heartened me.

We have had a flurry of people contacting the paper wanting to help and they were still coming in yesterday afternoon.

We've had more than 30 phone calls, 15 emails and eight offers through Facebook.

Calls have also been flooding into the family from as far away as China. Offers have mainly been for firewood but also for clothing, heaters and vouchers.

The Foster family, comprising Mr Foster, wife Tori and two children, featured in a somewhat happier follow-up story yesterday morning.

What a tremendous response. It shows that, when people who are in genuine need and at a disadvantage need help, the Bay community is there for them.

Huge praise for everyone who came forward. They are good people.

As for whoever stole the firewood, they may not have known they were targeting a cancer patient but are low-lifes all the same.

I hope they now know who their victims are and have a conscience.

They need to put this right by apologising to the family and returning the wood.