More than $160,000 has been raised through a givealittle page for the family of the man killed while stopped at a Botany intersection.
Zhengwen Alan Hu, 50, died after his car was rear-ended while he and the drivers of two other vehicles were waiting at a red light at the busy Ti Rakau Drive and Botany Road intersection around 5pm on Monday, January 28, the Auckland Anniversary holiday.
A Givealittle page was set up over the weekend by Dr Jacky Lam who was one of the first people on the scene when Hu was killed.
Thousands of donations have been made by people and businesses all around the country.
When it closed the Givealittle page had raise $169,532 for Hu’s wife and children.
“Alan leaves behind his devoted wife and two young daughters aged 8 and 11. They went from a perfectly happy, healthy family to utter devastation in the blink of an eye,” Dr Lam says.
“Their lives have been torn apart and it’s hard to imagine how long and arduous the journey to recovery will be. On top of the sorrow of losing her husband and their dad, they are now in financial hardship from the loss of his income.”
Lam told the Herald he arrived on the scene shortly after 5pm and worked with emergency services and a trainee nurse to try and save Hu’s life.
Lam said he had never seen an accident this bad in his career.
Hu’s wife, Hua Yang, has issued a heartfelt thank you to those who donated to the family.
“Our blissful family of four was completely unprepared for such a tragedy. Alan was our rock. It has literally felt like our sky has fallen,” she says.
“The public’s generous support has been incredible. In addition to the funds, which will be a tremendous help to us as we try to navigate our lives from now, the kind messages have been a ray of light in our darkest hours.”
Police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.
However police have confirmed that a 27-year-old man was arrested on a number of serious driving charges and appeared in the Manukau District Court on February 5.
Police would like to hear from anyone who may have seen, or who has dash camera footage of an older model Holden Commodore executive vehicle being driven prior to the crash.
Police believe the vehicle may have been in the areas around Botany Road, Ridge Road, Bleakhouse Road, Pakuranga Highway and Aviemore Drive.
If you saw this vehicle, contact Constable Graham Mako, Counties Manukau Serious Crash Unit, on 021 192 0746 or email Graham.Mako@police.govt.nz
