NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Stabbing victim Supanee Saensree overwhelmed with fundraiser

NZ Herald
13 Dec, 2016 06:10 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Supanee was stabbed 15 times in an horrific attack that left her critical. Besides the physical injury, the psychological and financial harm is ongoing

The family of the woman who was stabbed 15 times are "overwhelmed and humbled" with the outpouring of public support.

Supanee Saensree, 31, told the Herald her story of when she was attacked in Auckland while she lay sleeping with her 18-month-old daughter on August 5.

She suffered wounds to her face, hands and back. Emergency services were surprised she survived.

Saensree and her fiance, Roger McRae, spoke out to fundraise for her ongoing medical treatment.

Stabbing victim Supanee Saensree after an 11 hour surgery to stitch up her wounds. Photo / Supplied
Stabbing victim Supanee Saensree after an 11 hour surgery to stitch up her wounds. Photo / Supplied
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

As of tonight, her Givealittle page had raised $4260 and Humm radio station had up to 10 calls from people offering presents and help.

McRae said the financial help would go a long way to helping Saensree recover. The couple will spend it on extra treatments that aren't covered by ACC.

"She was holding off on some of the physio treatments because she knew she had to pay for her mum's new visa. But now she can get to everything she needs to," he said.

As well as being grateful for the money, the couple are touched by the well wishers who have reached out with their condolences. McRae said they were both surprised at the response. Tonight they will sit down together and read through the nice sentiments people have written.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It'll be quite an emotional time just to see it there and hear that people care."

Four months ago Saensree was stabbed repeatedly. She ran with her child in her arms, screaming for help before collapsing on the kerb in a pool of her own blood.

"I tried to hold the baby tight and protect her," she said later.

"It was hard to breathe because blood came out of my mouth. Blood spilt on the road and on my baby.

Discover more

New Zealand|crime

Woman stabbed 15 times, saves baby

12 Dec 08:49 AM

"I thought I was going to die."

Saensree, who moved to New Zealand from Thailand five years ago, was rushed to hospital fighting for her life.

Her lung collapsed and her ribs were fractured from a deep wound in her back. Her face and hands were badly slashed.

Police called McRae at work and told him to go to a quiet place and sit down. When he heard what had happened he said "holy s***" and was quickly rushed to hospital by police to be with her.

McRae, 40, walked into her hospital room and the floor was covered in blood. She had an 11-hour surgery the next day, "basically to sew her up", he said.

Stabbing victim Supanee Saensree with her fiance Roger McRae and their children before an horrific attack in which she was stabbed 15 times in August. Photo / Supplied
Stabbing victim Supanee Saensree with her fiance Roger McRae and their children before an horrific attack in which she was stabbed 15 times in August. Photo / Supplied

McRae said they haven't told their children what happened except that "mum got hurt".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Saensree also has a 4-year-old son who lives with the couple.

"The kids were shocked when they first saw her," McRae said.

"They all cried and didn't want to go near her."

Now Saensree is struggling. She gets panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares and can't sleep through the night. Physically she can't bend down, her hands aren't strong and she can't pick up her children.

She spent her savings on flying her mum out from Thailand to help her. She tried to go back to work at a sushi shop but has pulled back now as it was hindering her recovery.

The family had been staying with a relative for a year trying to save money for a house. But being homeowners has "gone out the window" with endless medical expenses, McRae said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

McRae said Saensree had had about 40 GP visits, a weekly meeting with a psychologist and countless physiotherapy appointments.

ACC doesn't cover her reflexology and massage and Saensree still has to pay a portion of her GP appointments.

And the bills won't stop any time soon. Next year she will undergo more surgeries to repair the scarring on her face.

McRae said the family were struggling financially and might not be able to buy Christmas presents for their children.

But it's the recovery of his fiancee that he is most concerned about. He wants to help her get "that spark" back.

"She was a very independent, very strong lady. She's still a strong lady now but she's lost that spark. Her moods are up and down.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I just have to do everything I can do to keep her supported."

A person has been charged with attempted murder and the matter is before the courts.

You can donate via Givealittle here.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New ZealandUpdated

Thunderstorms, flooding to hit Auckland, top half of North Island

08 May 11:43 PM
New Zealand

Veteran pilot Derek Williams retires after decades of Anzac Day flyovers

08 May 11:38 PM
New Zealand

Crown response and pre-Budget announcement

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Thunderstorms, flooding to hit Auckland, top half of North Island

Thunderstorms, flooding to hit Auckland, top half of North Island

08 May 11:43 PM

Downpours and flooding possible across the day.

Veteran pilot Derek Williams retires after decades of Anzac Day flyovers

Veteran pilot Derek Williams retires after decades of Anzac Day flyovers

08 May 11:38 PM
Crown response and pre-Budget announcement

Crown response and pre-Budget announcement

'The perfect excuse': Hastings trail lights up NZ Music Month

'The perfect excuse': Hastings trail lights up NZ Music Month

08 May 11:23 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP