Charity ride completes quest

INSPIRATION: Samuel Gibson inspired yesterday's Ride for Ryuki fundraising event. PHOTO/FILE

"Ability is no limit to adventure" - this was Samuel Gibson's motto, and one that fuelled his friends to help finish what he started.

Before his death, the brittle bone disease sufferer had set off on a quest to raise money for a 2-year-old Christchurch boy, Ryuki, who was born with the same disease.

Mr Gibson died from injuries after being catapulted from his wheelchair when it stopped suddenly while he was competing in the Air New Zealand Hawke's Bay International Half Marathon last month.

Neil Wagstaff of Peak Health Fitness, Mr Gibson's friend, witnessed the accident.

The marathon was a training round for them as part of their effort towards their fundraising initiative, the 300km "Alps to Ocean" Run and Roll, to raise funds for Ryuki. The event was to take place later this year.

Mr Wagstaff said the Peak Health and Fitness team wanted to "honour our friend Samuel and help finish what he started".

It was Mr Gibson's way of helping to make sure little Ryuki had the same opportunities he did, and to convert his house to make it wheelchair-friendly.

Ryuki's Give A Little page says he has already had seven fractures, including one before birth, and is extremely fragile.

He has just started to roll over, is trying to crawl and needs soft surroundings to prevent further fractures. His family are getting ready for when he can mobilise himself and explore, which calls for serious house modifications.

Yesterday Mr Wagstaff rode a bike for 12 hours, and invited anyone to join him, to raise funds towards the $50,000 goal Mr Gibson was striving to achieve.

Peak Health and Fitness co-owner Sam Wagstaff said Mr Gibson was a member of their gym and her husband Neil was planning to participate in the Alps to Ocean with Mr Gibson.

"Once the dust settled a little bit, a lot of people were asking if we would still be doing Ocean to Alps," she said.

But she said it did not seem like the right thing to do, so she and her husband set out to run an event that the entire community could participate in.

"It just made sense to push our own personal limits because that's what Samuel did."

Ride for Ryuki spanned 12 hours yesterday, from 6am to 6pm. The Havelock North Business Association booked a bike, and half-hour and one-hour slots were made available to the public for a $20 donation.

During the past week, a silent auction was held with local businesses donating various goods. A raffle was also drawn, which added extra funds.

Mrs Wagstaff said Mr Gibson's immediate family as well as relatives, who had travelled from Taranaki, attended the event.

Fundraising for Ryuki has reached $23,353.12 so far.

Yesterday, Mrs Wagstaff said she was unsure how much money had been raised during the 12-hour event.