Kindness outlasts crash horror

Wanganui City College students Arama Docherty (left), Eruera Heitia-Ponga, Kimberly Kawau, Ari-Jane Hika and assistant principal Val Rooderkerk survived a scary bus crash in September. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY

There was blood, mud, broken glass, crying and confusion when a bus full of Wanganui teenagers crashed near Taumarunui on September 23.

The crash happened in heavy rain when most of them were asleep or watching a movie as the bus skidded on a corner coming into Piriaka. The back end went into a ditch and, when the driver tried to straighten up, the bus hit a bank.

Half of the windows on one side shattered and mud, branches and broken glass rained down.

The Tranzit bus was taking competitors from three schools (Wanganui City College, Wanganui Collegiate and Wanganui High School) to the national Nga Manu Korero speech competitions in Hamilton.

On board were four competitors, each with about 10 supporters, teachers and parents, about 40 people in total.

They left Wanganui about 9.30am, with City College head of Maori Tamahau Rowe, his wife and 7-week-old baby following in the school van.

Wanganui City College assistant principal Val Rooderkerk was asleep and woke to confusion. Some students were crying, some were injured, one was unconscious and others were calling out to her.

Two Collegiate teachers had been thrown into the door well, with the driver on top of them. One of them, had a suspected broken arm and was the school's first aider hurt her arm.

"She had to try and put a sling on herself," Ms Rooderkerk said.

No one could get out because the door was against the bank. They had sleeping gear with them and Ms Rooderkerk ripped up pillowcases to use as bandages.

"The kids were very worried about the ones who had been hurt, but they kept calm and listened to instructions," she said.

They used a special hammer to break an emergency window and get out. Someone got a ladder from a nearby farm and the able-bodied climbed down it.

Police, fire and ambulance services arrived fast. Year 12 student Ari-Jane Hika had a head injury and was flown to Waikato Hospital in a helicopter, while five others were taken to Taumarunui Hospital in the school van. Another bus took the uninjured to the Cosmopolitan Club in Taumarunui where they were served hot drinks and helped by Victim Support. The students taken to hospital were released after two hours, their injuries including concussion, a broken collar bone, cuts and bruises.

Ms Rooderkerk was inclined to call off the expedition but the four s competitors had been practising hard and wanted to carry on. The group spent the night at Morero Marae. One of the firefighters had told his mother the students would need food.

"She arrived at the marae and said, "Don't worry about food. I've got it sorted'."

Tranzit paid for groceries and she whipped up comfort food - macaroni cheese, fruit, biscuits, and custard. A laundromat stayed open all night to wash and dry the school uniforms, while people kept dropping in to make sure the visitors were all right.

Nobody slept well that night, Ms Rooderkerk said, and everyone was scared to get back on a bus next day. News of the accident spread fast, and the young people were celebrities when they arrived at the competition. A Wanganui High School boy won the impromptu section with his speech about the accident.

The only lasting effect has been Ari-Jane's head injury. She's had surgery twice with more to come.

The young people are still grateful for the care they received in Taumarunui.

"It's what small town New Zealand is known for," Ms Rooderkerk said.