Wayne helps car crash victim- Air New Zealand & Avis show heart

He told me he was still picking shattered glass out of his suit pants this morning.  No fresh shirt, undies or socks this morning in Dunedin, only the evidence of a horrific ordeal the night before.

"Don't miss your flight back" I said to Wayne, my husband who was in Dunedin on business for the day when I caught up earlier in the day on the phone after he had flown down to Dunedin on an 8.45am flight.

Knowing he was on the 6pm flight home, I was surprised when my mobile rung at 7.00pm.  I knew he should still be on the plane...if his flight was not delayed or he had missed it.

Its now 2.00pm the next day and he is finally back at work.

Wayne was travelling back to the Dunedin airport sometime after 5.00pm in his Avis Rental car to catch his 6.00pm flight.  It was dark and raining. 500 meters in front of him, he saw a horrific head-on car crash unfold. He said all he saw was headlights going in all directions and knew it was bad.

After the cars stopping rolling, Wayne rushed to the car through the mud, on its side while another car rushed to the other vehicle which was still on its wheels. The sole occupant of the car, a lady in her mid-50's was screaming and hysterical.  All Wayne could hear hissing from the engine and screaming.  He immediately called 111 and told another by-stander to call them back and explain the situation as his phone was almost flat from working remotely for the day.  He then worked out that the lady legs were trapped in the car as the head-on had folded the drivers front wheel under the dash. 


In his business suit, Wayne climbed up the underside of the car and in through the back door.  He could see the lady dangling downwards from her seatbelt but also stuck by her trapped legs under the dash.  He could see  she was dangling against gravity and he needed to prop her up so she was not in any further pain.  Wayne pushed his leg through to the centre console of the ladies Nissan sedan from where he was in the back-seat and propped her up.    He said he was freezing the whole time.  He talked to the lady- named Marjorie for an hour, kept her calm and propped up the whole time.  Anyone who knows Wayne can imagine how hard it would have been to talk for a whole hour!  He is usually a man of few words and said this was the hardest part as she kept going hysterical from the feeling of being trapped.

He did this for over an hour until rescue services arrived.  Both Fire and Ambulance came and when they saw Wayne was holding Marjorie up and she was dangling from the seatbelt, they told him to stay in the car with her while they cut her out.  Wayne held her hand and stayed the whole time while the jaws of life were used to cut Marjorie out of the car. Although not the actual picture above and below below, Wayne said it was similar, except the car was in a ditch, it was pitch black, raining and muddy!

After all accident victims being put into the Ambulance and taken safely to hospital, and Wayne gave his account to Police, emergency services told Wayne that Marjorie will probably not even remember that he helped her as often serious crash victims lose all recollection of the event and what happened.  At least this blog will show what a hero he is to everyone else (even if he would be too modest to write it!)

After the accident, Wayne found he was then in a predicament of his own.  He had missed his flight, still had a rental car which was past return time and still needed to get home.  All he had with him was a laptop, flat mobile phone with no charger, laptop bag and suit jacket...

Wayne then went to the Airport just after 8.00pm to find out the Jetstar counter was completely closed with no one around and there were no more flights that evening from them.  He then wandered over to the Air New Zealand counter and explained his situation and that he missed his flight because he was helping at the scene of a serious car accident.  Air New Zealand then said the last flight for the evening has already gone and there were no more flights.  They then said they would get him on the next flight they could....for NO EXTRA CHARGE because of what he did.  It think this is amazing! The Air New Zealand Dunedin crew had enough heart to help someone who had just helped others.  They went out of their way to help him and he didn't have to pay a penny more!  Air New Zealand you really do have heart. 

Not only this, when Wayne went over to the Avis Counter and explained that he couldn't get home because he helped at the scene of an accident but still had the rental car, they also extended the rental hire to the next day for FREE.  Avis- you also show heart and that you care. You also rock!

This meant all Wayne had to do was find accommodation, fresh clothes and dinner for the night.  Unfortunately at 8.30pm in Mosgiel  on a Wednesday night there is no where to buy clothes- not even a t-shirt!  So Wayne had to use the shirt and suit which was now rather worse for wear from the car-accident!  Unfortunately the accommodation or dinner was not complimentary, but I am sure travel insurance will come to the party here.

Wayne, you are a hero in my eyes and a very selfless person to stop and help someone who needed your help.  You put a stranger first and your own life in danger to help them.
Air New Zealand and Avis- you show heart, just like Wayne did- you are also hero's for returning him safely back to Auckland at no-charge, you deserve this shout out, for sure as does he.