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Christchurch shooting Good Samaritan 'Heather from Papanui' found

Author
Amber Allott,
Publish Date
Thu, 27 Feb 2020, 4:48PM
Musa Vali Suleman Patel lost his life in the shooting at Linwood Mosque. Photo / Michael Craig
Musa Vali Suleman Patel lost his life in the shooting at Linwood Mosque. Photo / Michael Craig

Christchurch shooting Good Samaritan 'Heather from Papanui' found

Author
Amber Allott,
Publish Date
Thu, 27 Feb 2020, 4:48PM

The Good Samaritan Heather from Papanui has been found.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern put out a call to find a Good Samaritan who helped the wife of a Fijian imam killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks.

Ardern visited the Lautoka Jame Masjid in Nadi today and spoke with the imam's widow, Saira Bibi Patel, whom she'd met in Christchurch the day after the tragedy.

She said she'll never forget Patel's grief.

Meeting again yesterday Patel told Ardern of a Christchurch woman - Heather from Papanui - who drove her around the city, trying to help her find her husband.

Patel and her husband Hafiz Musa Patel were visiting Christchurch at the time of the attacks.

He was shot at Linwood Mosque and while she ran to his side, police led her outside while paramedics attended to him.

It wasn't until the next day, when authorities revealed the names of those in hospital, that she realised he was not among them and had died.

Patel wanted to thank Heather for helping her in her search but didn't know her last name so Ardern put out a call to find her so she could pass on Patel's deep gratitude.

Now that woman has been found.

Heather Maxwell, who has now retired to Dunedin, says Patel turned up at her neighbour's door after being separated from her husband in the shooting in March last year.

"There was no one else to take her down, and I was there with my car. Of course I'd offer to help."

She said she would love to meet Patel again and hear how she's doing.

"It'd be very nice to see her again, I would like that. She was so upset - I'd be very pleased to know she's got over the shock of it.

"I just did what I could - what anybody else would do. I didn't even think about it. It's just normal to help someone."

 

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