Skip Kidwell enjoying time with his mokopuna Val Alestra-Leigh , 4, and Lysias-Haras, 6, at their now-dry home in Moerewa. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Skip Kidwell enjoying time with his mokopuna Val Alestra-Leigh , 4, and Lysias-Haras, 6, at their now-dry home in Moerewa. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Last year was one to remember - or should that be to forget - with a number of challenges facing Northland and New Zealand.
As part of our look back on 2020 the Northern Advocate is catching up with some of those who made the news last year.
Six monthsago Moerewa man Skip Kidwell — the owner of the worst-hit house on the worst-hit street in Moerewa — could only watch in dismay as silt and floodwater engulfed his house.
Since then he has been flooded again, but this time by a wave of generosity.
Kidwell said his low-lying, uninsured Pembroke St property had been flooded four times in recent years but on July 18 water entered the house for the first time.
He was home with his mokopuna Val Alestra-Leigh , 4, and Lysias-Haras, 6, when the deluge hit, dumping 220mm of rain in about six hours.
His car, washing machine, drier and lawnmower were wrecked, along with furniture, bedding and much of the kids' clothes.
He became the face of the flood as Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare, also from Moerewa, toured the damage with TV crews in tow.
Kidwell said he had no extra help from Winz during the flood but he received pūtea (money) from Civil Defence, which paid for, among other things, new clothes for the mokopuna.
Skip Kidwell after the July flood when his home was the worst-hit property on the worst-hit street in Moerewa. Photo / Peter de Graaf
He also got help from lots of other places.
''A couple of good Samaritans across the road gave me a car for nothing because my car got stuffed in the flood. One of the local doctors gave me a drier and carpet and a niece bought me a washing machine.''
There was even help from people he'd never met.
A woman from Brynderwyn, who rang a Moerewa trust to see if anyone needed help, donated tables, linen and a microwave, and anonymous donors in Auckland gave cash to replace damaged items after seeing Skip's plight on TV.
Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare and Moerewa community leader Pamela-Anne Ngohe-Simon talk to Skip Kidwell during the July flood. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The local church had offered him a dry place to sleep but he preferred to stay in his home.
''We got quite a bit of help from the community. Everyone's been coming down to see if I'm all right.''
Although it was the first time in the past four floods that water had come inside, it was also the first time the water was gone within a day thanks to volunteer firefighters who pumped out his property.
The flood hit on a Saturday, was pumped out on Sunday, and by Monday the family could start disinfecting and cleaning up.
''Normally we have to wait a week for the water to go down.'' he said.
Only the wash house, which is lower than the rest of the house, took a month to dry out completely. Kidwell said he hoped the regional council would improve drainage around the town before the next heavy rain, and give the work to locals who knew the creek and its behaviour.
A kind-hearted Moerewa couple gave Skip Kidwell a car to replace his vehicle wrecked in the July flood. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Some of his neighbours were still battling insurance companies over flood repairs but Kidwell, who has suffered depression in the past, said he was in a good space and enjoying time with his mokopuna, aged 4 and 6.
''The little moko, she's been pretty good for me. She's always got a smile on her face and if I'm down she'll come and give me a hug. I'm pretty good. Once the water was gone I'm happy.''
Kidwell said the 4-year-old, Val, was frightened at first during the flood.
''But then we saw a tuna coming through the garden and everything changed. She was fine after that.''
A week later the government pledged $26 million to strengthen Northland roads and protect the region from future floods.
The grant, from the Provincial Growth and Covid Response and Recovery funds, was announced by then Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones and Finance Minister Grant Robertson.
About $14m was set aside for road improvements by the Far North District Council with the rest to be spent on flood protection by the Northland Regional Council.
No precise figure was earmarked for Moerewa flood protection but Jones said he expected officials to prioritise the badly hit areas around Ngapipito, Pokapu and Moerewa.
