Ms Giffin recalled thinking, "We need to call an ambulance.
"I didn't know what I was dealing with. I got him into the recovery position and it was the best thing I could do."
She grabbed a coat from her car to keep Mr Grut warm and stayed with him and his wife until the ambulance arrived to take him to hospital.
That was four years ago - Mr Grut had wanted to track Ms Giffin down to thank her, and spotted her name in the Northern Advocate this week, in a letter about WaiAriki Food Forest - a community garden project.
To say thank you, he has donated a mower to the project.
Mr Grut, now 82, recalled waking up "and she was cradling my head in her lap, soothing me. She hopped into the ambulance with me for a short while too".
"I really don't know what would have happened if Wendy wasn't there."
When they met again for the first time yesterday, there was laughs and smiles as they talked about how lucky Mr Grut was that Wendy had been in the neighbourhood that morning.
WaiAriki Food Forest in Onerahi is a multicultural community project growing fresh food for people, the birds and the bugs.
"People in the community who are struggling for food are welcome to come down, take [food] home and in exchange, do a bit of weeding" Ms Giffin said.
The gardens are completely chemical free and maintained by volunteers from the community.
Ms Giffin said the mower is going to be put to very good use.
"A lawn mower was at the top of our wish list!"
