By SCOTT INGLIS and PATRICK GOWER
David Muaiki was overwhelmed.
The 13-year-old South Auckland cancer sufferer fought back tears as he stared silently at the piles of donated presents.
Hundreds of gifts, including two television sets, at least three scooters and a rugby league jersey, were crammed into a 3m by 4m room
at the Manurewa police station.
The presents poured in yesterday after it was revealed that burglars had ransacked David's Shifnal Drive home, stealing all the Christmas presents and household goods.
The thieves struck during daytime on Wednesday, walking away with their haul and leaving behind a bare Christmas tree.
David's mother, Mahelekafa, had worked overtime to buy her family and friends presents. Some of the gifts stolen had also been given by the Child Cancer Foundation.
David was diagnosed with lung cancer when he was six months old, and when he was 4, doctors found three brain tumours.
News of the Muaiki family's plight galvanised hundreds of people across Auckland and New Zealand.
Manurewa police arriving at work were immediately bombarded with gifts and offers of help. They launched Operation David, setting aside a room in the Halver St station as hundreds of people and companies brought in presents.
Senior Sergeant Heather Wells said: "We thought something would happen, but we didn't think it would be this big."
Mahelekafa Muaiki, a solo mother, said her phone started ringing at 6.30 am and did not stop.
"This is just too much giving," she said. "People kept giving and we just want to stop and not be greedy."
The Child Cancer Foundation received a cash donation of $1000, and the family were also given toys and gift vouchers, and offered rides on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
A locksmith offered to fix the family's doors and windows for free and an alarm system will be installed.
Even David Tua's manager rang to arrange a private visit with the heavyweight boxer.
At 3.30 pm yesterday, police brought David Muaiki and his family to the Manurewa station to see the response for themselves.
David was almost speechless when he saw the presents.
"All right," were some of the few words he managed, before being taken to The Warehouse for a $500 spend-up.
Police and Mahelekafa Muaiki will decide which gifts will be given to David and his brothers Michael, Mervyn and Darren, and which will be given to other needy families.
In the meantime, police are scouring Manurewa in an effort to catch the two men who raided David's home. One is in his late teens or early 20s, tall and skinny with a No 1 haircut and wearing a red gridiron-style jersey. The other is of similar age, medium height and stocky build, wearing a blue gridiron-style jersey.
People were not giving only to the Muaikis yesterday - the KMart Wishing Tree Appeal has collected more than 10,000 presents for families who would otherwise receive nothing on Christmas Day.
Caption1: GLAD TIDINGS: David Muaiki fought back tears as he saw the generosity of the people who responded to his family's plight. HERALD PICTURE / PAUL ESTCOURT
Head1: Gift deluge stuns family
Blurb1: Cancer patient David Muaiki will have a merry Christmas after all, with a room full of gifts replacing those stolen
Graphic1:
Byline1: By SCOTT INGLIS
xbfand PATRICK GOWER
Body1: David Muaiki was overwhelmed.
The 13-year-old South Auckland cancer sufferer fought back tears as he stared silently at the piles of donated presents.
Hundreds of gifts, including two television sets, at least three scooters and a rugby league jersey, were crammed into a 3m by 4m room at the Manurewa police station.
The presents poured in yesterday after it was revealed that burglars had ransacked David's Shifnal Drive home, stealing all the Christmas presents and household goods.
The thieves struck during daytime on Wednesday, walking away with their haul and leaving behind a bare Christmas tree.
David's mother, Mahelekafa, had worked overtime to buy her family and friends presents. Some of the gifts stolen had also been given by the Child Cancer Foundation.
David was diagnosed with lung cancer when he was six months old, and when he was 4, doctors found three brain tumours.
News of the Muaiki family's plight galvanised hundreds of people across Auckland and New Zealand.
Manurewa police arriving at work were immediately bombarded with gifts and offers of help. They launched Operation David, setting aside a room in the Halver St station as hundreds of people and companies brought in presents.
Senior Sergeant Heather Wells said: "We thought something would happen, but we didn't think it would be this big."
Mahelekafa Muaiki, a solo mother, said her phone started ringing at 6.30 am and did not stop.
"This is just too much giving," she said. "People kept giving and we just want to stop and not be greedy."
The Child Cancer Foundation received a cash donation of $1000, and the family were also given toys and gift vouchers, and offered rides on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
A locksmith offered to fix the family's doors and windows for free and an alarm system will be installed.
Even David Tua's manager rang to arrange a private visit with the heavyweight boxer.
At 3.30 pm yesterday, police brought David Muaiki and his family to the Manurewa station to see the response for themselves.
David was almost speechless when he saw the presents.
"All right," were some of the few words he managed, before being taken to The Warehouse for a $500 spend-up.
Police and Mahelekafa Muaiki will decide which gifts will be given to David and his brothers Michael, Mervyn and Darren, and which will be given to other needy families.
In the meantime, police are scouring Manurewa in an effort to catch the two men who raided David's home. One is in his late teens or early 20s, tall and skinny with a No 1 haircut and wearing a red gridiron-style jersey. The other is of similar age, medium height and stocky build, wearing a blue gridiron-style jersey.
People were not giving only to the Muaikis yesterday - the KMart Wishing Tree Appeal has collected more than 10,000 presents for families who would otherwise receive nothing on Christmas Day.
By SCOTT INGLIS and PATRICK GOWER
David Muaiki was overwhelmed.
The 13-year-old South Auckland cancer sufferer fought back tears as he stared silently at the piles of donated presents.
Hundreds of gifts, including two television sets, at least three scooters and a rugby league jersey, were crammed into a 3m by 4m room
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