A Paihia man who lost almost everything he owned in an arson attack says he has been overwhelmed by the kindness of his hometown.
Roger Harper's rented home in Kings Rd was gutted by fire earlier this year, destroying the self-employed decorator's tools, clothing, furniture and other possessions. Especially wrenchinghad been the loss of his children's artwork which had covered the walls of his bedroom. Three of his six children also lost belongings.
Seventeen-year-old Alexandra Craven has pleaded guilty to arson, burglary and causing intentional damage, and is due back in the Matariki Court at Kaikohe on July 17.
When the fire started around 5pm on January 24, Mr Harper was at the pub; his son, Ariki, grandson Romeo and a nephew visiting from Australia had just walked into town. A day earlier, all four grandchildren and his two youngest daughters, Chevylee, 7, and Saffyre, 6, had been staying at the house for a summer holiday.
The only possessions that survived the fire were his fishing rods and a few power tools in the basement. Among the items destroyed were a new tent and airbeds for a planned camping trip to celebrate Chevylee's birthday, and $500 set aside for Ariki's 17th birthday the day after the fire.
At the time, Victim Support suggested he see a counsellor. Mr Harper was sceptical at the time but later changed his mind. The thing he was struggling with most was that he had allowed Alexandra, his son's then-girlfriend, into his home and unwittingly put his children in danger.
Mr Harper said his daughters did not like to dwell on the fire - he had removed photos of the burnt-out house because they made the girls sad - and Saffyre was especially upset by the loss of Mr Fluffy, her teddy bear.
Chevylee, on the other hand, was upset because the fire happened the day before her big brother's birthday.
Mr Harper's work prospects were hampered by the loss of most of his uninsured tools. The extra costs of moving and replacing everything from teatowels to underwear had set him back about $2000, and he had been forced to shift to Haruru Falls where rents were lower.
He had been helped, however, by extraordinary kindness and generosity from the people of Paihia. That help included friends who had sifted through the rubble for belongings when he was too upset to do so, a bar which collected hundreds of dollars for a Harper Family Fund and friends and former clients who donated furniture and cash or arranged work.
"I'm very grateful ... I've been really humbled by everyone's generosity. It makes me very proud to live and work in Paihia," Mr Harper said.
