The Star: December 02, 2021

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The Star Thursday December 2 2021 4 NEWS • By Kristie Boland HAVING FISH and chips in the park is nothing out of the ordinary for many families. But for Ruth Markham- Short and Jeremy Smith, their outing with family and friends at Redcliffs Park had special significance. They gathered to celebrate and remember their 23-monthold son, Reuben Smith, who tragically died from meningococcal septicemia nearly a year ago. “It’s about a bit of time with Reubs, the anniversary is coming up. The lead up to it is hard. Being here with family and having something to celebrate is nice,” said Ruth. The celebration at Monday’s gathering was for the installation of new swings at the park in memory of Reuben, who would go there with his parents. Reuben was a healthy boy who had not been sick before, so when he woke at 4am on December 17 with a high temperature, it was unusual. He showed signs of having a stomach bug. Then at 10am that day, Ruth and Jeremy took him to the local medical centre. By noon, it became clear there was something seriously wrong. Reuben had developed a rash and was rushed to hospital to be treated for meningococcal septicemia, an infection of the bloodstream that causes organs to shut down. By 2.30pm Reuben was in ICU. Said Jeremy: “When we went into ICU to see him he was just a different boy. The rash had spread all over him, he was purple. It’s so brutal, it’s the Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Fish & chips, swing set and remembering COLOUR: Ruth Markham-Short and Jeremy Smith with eight-week-old son Rupert at Redcliffs Park. The couple have donated a swing set in memory of their son Reuben (inset). worst disease.” The doctors and nurses did everything they could for Reuben but his body had started to shut down and there was nothing more they could do. “We were told about an hour before he passed that there was a high chance that he wouldn’t make it,” said Jeremy. At 5.10pm that day, Reuben died. Said Ruth: “It was just so fast, so fast . . . It’s a bit like having your kid tied to the railway tracks and seeing the train coming and not being able to do anything about it.” Said Jeremy: “It went from waking up at four in the morning, thinking he’s got a tummy bug, to him passing away at 10 past five that night.” Up to 15 per cent of people carry the bacteria that causes meningococcal disease. The chances of Reuben dying from it were .0002 per cent, his parents were told. When Reuben died, the Redcliffs and Sumner community rallied together to raise money to support his parents. Now that money has been donated back to the community in the form of new swings, Reuben’s favourite thing to play on. The purple swing set, Reuben’s favourite colour, was installed at the weekend. The community raised $4800 for Ruth and Jeremy, which was used to pay for the swings. “We wanted to do something meaningful with [the money]. We wanted to give back,” said Ruth. The swings are a way to say thank you to the Redcliffs and Sumner community for supporting Ruth and Jeremy through the most difficult year of their lives. The swing set gives Ruth and Jeremy a place to go to remember their son. A plaque will go up for Reuben on the boulder in front of the swings “It’s a gift from us but in some ways it’s been healing for us,” said Ruth. Get your bathroom upGraded before Christmas at amazing priCes! SHOWER UNIT BATHTUB PLYWOOD VANITIES Order tOday while the stOck is available Now $1,199 XSB Curved Shower From $726 XSHQ Square Shower From $773 LED MIRRORS LEDM90A LEDM90RO save $59 save $60 Now $359 From $369 VEE Freestanding Vanity Series (size range 750-1200) VEEY750W Wall-Hung Vanity Now $515 save $66 VINO900 Wall-Hung Vanity NVS Free Standing Vanity Series From $526 (size range 600-1200) From $505 Now $538 save $91 VEEY12014FD Free Standing Double Basin save $258 Now $918 TAPWARE TOILET SUITE SHOWER MIxER & SLIDE COMBO LAUNDRY TUB HEATED TOWEL RAIL T611BK Only $80 TB2111C Only $105 TK2201 Only $90 TB15001B Only $168 Direct flushing T008 Whirlpool Flushing T026 Now $315 From $425 save LTB2B $89 Stainless Steel Now $256 LTB2B Stainless Steel Only $260 Square Towel Rail From $140 Millen HoMeware CHristCHurCH 247 annex road, Middleton • Ph 03 348 8678 • www.millen.co.nz
young Reuben After hearing about Reuben, many people in Redcliffs, where he went to pre-school, vaccinated their children against meningococcal, said Ruth. “It’s too late for us but if we can stop anyone else going through what we’ve been through.” Ruth and Jeremy said Reuben was a “dream of a child.” He was happy, full of energy and extremely observant. He loved exploring his world, animals and the sandpit, often coming home from pre-school with sand in his pants. Reuben left an impression on a lot of people. His teachers at St James Preschool described him as one of the most relaxed kids they’d had. “We were proud of him, he was a really special child,” said Jeremy. Said Ruth: “It’s tempting just to shut yourself off, live an unhealthy lifestyle and try to forget, but Reuben didn’t get the choice that we get. We get a choice to live, so as hard as it was, we just try to do our best for him.” Ruth and Jeremy will be able to take their eight-week-old son Rupert to play on the swings when he is older. Baby Rupert has helped to heal his parents. Said Jeremy: “A big part of me is gone, but since having Rupert, that big part of me that has been lost has come back.” MEMORY: Friends and family gathered at Redcliffs Park for fish and chips and a play on the new swing. Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz NEWS 5 ‘We’re not snowflakes, so it’s fine’ • Watch the video starnews.co.nz • By Emily Moorhouse ONE SECOND Jacob Ohs was driving, the next he was skidding upside down after colliding with a car on State Highway 1 Johns Rd. Ohs, 17, along with his four friends in the car, were lucky to walk away from the crash with no, or only superficial, injuries after sliding upside down for what they thought was more than 100m. Ohs said they were in the right lane heading north towards the Sawyers Arms Rd roundabout when a vehicle in the left lane changed lanes. His vehicle clipped the back of it and he lost control. The crash comes as Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency warns drivers about road safety as summer approaches. Canterbury has the highest number of road deaths with 45 people having died on the road in the past year. When the car stopped skidding, Ohs said he could smell petrol so everyone wanted to get out straight away. Jordan Anderson, 17, was the first to get out. Ohs was stuck under the steering wheel so he pulled him out. “He wasn’t screaming so he obviously wasn’t in pain so I just pulled him out,” Anderson said. Thursday December 2 2021 The Star AFTERMATH: Police examine the damaged motorway safety fence on SH1 Johns Rd, where the crash happened. Oliver Korunic was one of the passengers of the vehicle that flipped upside down. PHOTOS: GEOFF SLOAN “[We’re] just a bit mentally and physically scarred but, you know, we’re not snowflakes so it’s fine,” Anderson said of how lucky they were. Said another passenger Brindon White, 18: “I was on my phone just watching TikTok then next second we’re upside down and I hit the roof. Yeah, nah, it was a wee bit scary.” Ohs said he his first thoughts were to make sure everyone was okay. “They’re more important to me than the car. If I was in the hospital or one of my friends were in the hospital then I’d be carrying that.” LOOSE TOMATOES $ ...................... 2 .99 KG STRAWBERRIES 250G $ ................ 2 .99 each lettuces $ ............................................ 1 .49 each new season peas 400g ........................................ $ 3 .99 each COURGETTES $ .................................... 5 .99 kg PREPACK ROYAL GALA APPLES 1KG ....................................... $ 2 .49 each BEEF FILLET STEAK $ ................... 38 .99 kg lamb leg steak $ ........................ 24 .99 kg pork loin chops $ ...................... 13 .99 kg pork belly $ ..................................... 13 .99 kg NZ FREE FARMED Cooked on the Bone Ham $ .......................................................... 14 .99 kg At we have... FRIDAY TO SUNDAY ONLY Broccoli $ ......................................... 2 .00 LARGE AVOCADOS ...................99 c each BUTTERFLIED LAMB LEG $ .... 19 .99 kg 2 for Check our website for your local stores opening hours All our fresh meat is 100% NZ FARMED. specials VAlid 29th November - 5TH December 2021. WHILE STOCKS LAST! ONLY AVAILABLE AT RAEWARD FRESH HAREWOOD RD, TOWER JUNCTION WWW. .CO.NZ Like us on Facebook
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The Star: December 02, 2021

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