Austin Parina from Akina, Hastings, thought it was a scam call when organisers rang with the good news - but now he is planning a family road trip.
Parina was busy at work as a project technician at Te Whatu Ora when he received the winning phone call on Tuesday.
Parina thought the call was a hoax, and his colleagues did too.
“We’re being trained to spot scams at work at the moment and so I naturally thought I’m getting scammed. My colleagues couldn’t believe it either until they watched me collect the keys. I’m still processing it.”
Parina said he had a funny feeling a Ford Ranger might manifest for him.
“When I bought the ticket we were travelling to Rotorua and I remember I kept seeing Rangers on the road. I said to my wife ‘maybe it’s a sign’; my wife said ‘you’re dreaming’. This is living proof that it’s good to dream.”
Parina planned to take the school holidays off work to take his wife and three children aged 12, 7 and 5 on a road trip.
“We are looking forward to more sightseeing and exploring some beaches around New Zealand as a family.”
Parina said he usually tried to support charity fundraisers but never expected to win.
“I witness every day how busy the rescue helicopter is and often think ‘you never know, one day that could be me needing it’.”
Austin Parina says he witnesses every day how busy the rescue helicopter is so wanted to support the lottery. Photo / Simon Cartwright Commercial and Event Photography
The trust contacted all those who purchased a ticket in 2023 to receive feedback on the lottery and prizes.
Based on that feedback, Quayle said they decided to change the type and number of prizes.
“The Ranger was at the top of the list for many, as was the concept of multiple prizes, something we hadn’t tried before.”
Quayle said fundraisers like the lottery were important to keep the service running.
It completes more than 400 rescue missions a year, including inter-hospital transfers, search and rescue missions, and pre-hospital missions from accidents and health emergencies.
“The community support we continue to receive is humbling and we remain grateful for these contributions that help keep our life-saving service free and accessible for everyone across Hawke’s Bay.”
