Kaitaia woman Iri Martin happy after stolen generator is replaced

Iri Martin was much happier last week after her stolen generator was replaced, even if her car is off the road.

Last week was a bit up and down for 73-year-old Iri Martin, but on balance she was much happier than the week before, after her generator was stolen from her home on the Kaitaia Awaroa Rd while she was briefly in Kaitaia.

Martin was gone for only 20 minutes - she drove to Kaitaia to post some chocolates to her husband, who is in care in Kaikohe - but that was long enough for someone to drive onto her lawn, take her portable generator and drive off with it.

She has a new generator, organised through Repco in Kaitaia by her son, Spencely, and daughter-in-law, Natalie, from Brisbane. Another son travelled up from Kaikohe to bolt it down.

On the downside, her car would be off the road for three weeks after a crash (that was not her fault) near her home at the foot of the Herekino Gorge.

"I'm carless now but happy as," she said.

Unlike the generator, the car was insured. All she had to do now was repay the money she had borrowed for the generator. And she was getting help with that.

A Givealittle page (givealittle.co.nz/cause/senior-citizen-robbed) set up by Natalie, with the goal of raising $2500 (later reduced to $2000) has almost reached its total. The appeal closes on Thursday next week.

Kaikohe couple Esther and Anthony Ward had earlier offered her a generator that they weren't using, and late last week a woman who has a Facebook page with more than 36,000 members offered to fundraise on her behalf. Help was also offered by Te Rarawa.

"There are a lot of kind people around. I'm blown away," Iri said.

"I'm so lucky. I'm blessed that my boys didn't forget that they have a mother, and I have beautiful daughters-in-law.

"If it wasn't for my friends, my family and my prayer group I would be a goner, but now I can have a shower. Yay!"