Rotorua's Ethel Mabey wants to say thank you to the four good samaritans who helped retrieve her husband and his wheelchair from Lake Rotorua.
Mrs Mabey had taken her husband Jim for their regular walk from Whare Aroha to the Lakefront on Friday. Mr Mabey has Parkinson's disease and Lewy Body
dementia, and has been a resident of the home and hospital for the past three years.
"We've been married for more than 50 years and he's been like my rock. I often take him out to get fresh air, we can go walking for miles together," she said.
"I was sitting on one of the park benches near the offices and Jim was in one of those reclining wheelchairs facing the lake.
"There was bird poo on the back of the bench which I had put my hand in and as I went to wipe it off on some grass, I turned around and he was in the lake."
The 72-year-old was helped by three men and a woman to lift him and his chair out of the water.
"It was incredible to see his survival instincts kick in, he was on his tummy dog paddling - he's had dementia since 2003."
Mrs Mabey said a man had jumped into the water with her to pull her husband out while the others helped from the bank.
"The water was about chest height on me, the chair had launched itself quite far into the lake." Whare Aroha staff said Mr Mabey wasn't injured.
"I usually put the brakes on his chair but I mustn't have and I just feel terrible over it. But I would give the people who helped us a big hug if I saw them again.
"I wish I could remember them but ... I was just doing everything automatically.
"I turned around to say, 'Thank you' and was off back to Whare Aroha to get him out of his wet clothes," she said.
"I would never in a million years been able to get him out by myself ... so those that helped us were brilliant."
Mrs Mabey would like to thank in person those who helped. If you would like to make contact phone The Daily Post on (07) 348-6199 ext 57054.
