Community support eases Tyree's pain

It was a rough few days for 6-year-old Tyree Walters.

Dog bites to his face and then while he was having surgery to his facial injuries in Whangarei Hospital cruel thieves stole treasured items from his Hikurangi home.

That included a PlayStation 3 which stored songs collected by Tyree's father, Reece Walters, who died suddenly three years ago.

The youngster treasured the gaming console and frequently listened to the music on its hard drive which linked him to his father.

But thanks to the generosity of Northern Advocate readers the trauma has been eased just a little with donations reaching $1233. Hikurangi Mountain Lions Club also helped out with $300 to go towards replacing food stolen by the heartless thieves.

After learning of Tyree's plight the Northern Advocate appealed for readers to help and set up a bank account for donations and accepted cash at the main office.

There were plenty of offers to hand on pre-loved PlayStations but PlayStation NZ came to the party, donating a gift pack including games and a new PlayStation 4.

The family has been overwhelmed by the support from people they don't even know following the burglary that occurred on the weekend of October 22.

"Wow this is crazy ... I can't believe the help we've got. This is such a massive help to my little family," Tyree's mum Jess Wood said.

"I never expected this. People have been so generous and giving to us. Thank you to everyone who has helped us."

Tyree had the 30 stitches to his face out on Monday and the cuts are healing well.
He was expected to head back to school at Whangarei Primary this week.

While he was recovering his schoolmates wrote get well letters.

As part of the campaign staff from the Northern Advocate and The Hits Northland hit the streets of Hikurangi to deliver flyers appealing for the return of the PlayStation.

Over 200 flyers were put in letterboxes asking for the PlayStation to be left at any police station or at the Northern Advocate office in Roberts St.

Miss Wood renewed her call for those who had stolen her son's PlayStation to return it.

"It's so hurtful that people would do this to a young boy. The PlayStation means so much to him."