Good Samaritan praised for helping tourists in trouble

From the moment she discovered an elderly tourist badly injured on the side of the road, Ohakune woman Rosaleen Morris was determined to go above and beyond to help.

Donald Mackenzie, 83, had flown to New Zealand from Adelaide in February to visit family and was road-tripping around New Zealand with his wife Gwen when he stopped near Raetihi to take a photo.

He fell over backwards and landed heavily, breaking his hip.

Morris stopped to assist, and insisted on driving the couple to a nearby doctor's surgery.

Mr Mackenzie was told he needed an X-ray which would mean an 80km drive to Whanganui Hospital.

Morris didn't think twice about offering to help.

"I just told him that I'd see him and the family right," she told Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB.

Mr Mackenzie said she had no hesitation in jumping behind the wheel and taking them to where they needed to go.

"My wife, who has early stage Alzheimer's, was unable to drive and Rosaleen, our Good Samaritan, insisted on driving us in our hire car to Whanganui.

"Once there, she organised our entry to the emergency department of the hospital and stayed with us until well into the evening when the results of the X-rays confirmed a broken hip. It was a great relief to me when Rosaleen then insisted that my wife travel back with her to her country cottage and stay with her."

Morris then contacted the Mackenzie's relatives in Auckland, and she allowed them to stay in an annex adjacent to her house.

"During the following 10 days until my discharge from hospital, Rosaleen cared for my wife and brought her to see me on several occasions.

"On the day of my discharge which was delayed until the evening Rosaleen drove to Whanganui and back in the dark so that I could spend a few days recuperating at her cottage.

"One evening Rosaleen cooked a wonderful roast pork dinner for the evening meal and I have rarely enjoyed as good a roast dinner."

Mr Mackenzie said he is extremely grateful for all the help he received.

"We had survived a very difficult situation far better than we could have expected because of the kindness and generosity of an exceptional woman Rosaleen Morris.

"Rosaleen is no stranger to hardship and pain in her own life and she has spent many days herself in hospital.

"Perhaps that is part of the making of this remarkable woman."

As part of ASB's Gold as Gold on the Mike Hosking Breakfast on Newstalk ZB, Morris was rewarded for her extraordinary kindness with $2500 towards a renovation of her home, and she also received a bunch of flowers.