Warren Strother often helps Hamiltonians by fixing vehicles and other bits and pieces. Photo / Sarah Ivey
If you live in Temple View, Hamilton, there's a good chance your car has been fixed by Warren Strother. If it has, you probably know how difficult it is to pay him.
Daughter Nina Lepou said that when people find out he's her father, they recount a time
when he has helped them out.
In the past 31 years, Mr Strother has fixed "hundreds of cars for family, friends, neighbours, and strangers at no cost", despite teaching full time at Church College.
Mrs Lepou says it is quite common for a stranger to knock at the door and ask for Mr Strother. Just as common, she said, is for the 59-year-old to abandon his dinner to go outside and look at their car.
"I don't know why or how he does it," she said. "He rarely charges for labour and often ends up out of pocket when people can't pay for the car parts."
Mr Strother said he likes doing things for people and that he has a family mentality where you "just help each other out".
"I get embarrassed if there's money involved," he said. "If they offer I say no, but some people just don't like me doing it for free, in which case I have to take the money."
Mrs Lepou said that Mr Strother can fix almost everything. He has recently fixed the flooring in a house belonging to a woman from his church, and when one woman's husband died, Mr Strother fixed her shower.
Mrs Lepou said that when she asked him why he did so much for others, he said he hoped it would help him get to heaven by making up for his other shortcomings.
