Cyclone Gabrielle: Hawke’s Bay nurse working through it after cyclone takes home

Three days after Maria Hollingshead “lost everything” in Cyclone Gabrielle, she was back on the front line at Hawke’s Bay Hospital.

The nurse believes it is her “English nurse’s sense of humour” that kept her going, and it was being at the hospital that helped her work through the ordeal.

“We’ve lost everything – but I’m still upright and breathing,” she said.

Hollingshead and her partner Geoff Downer have lived in Pākōwhai for the past four years with their horse, three cats, sheep and chooks.

They did not think much of a “bit of water on the road” after waking up on February 14 but, by the time Hollingshead had checked on her animals and Chesterhope Stream, the water was lapping at her gumboots back at home.

As the water continued to rise higher, so did their alarm.

The true severity of the situation had set in by the time they had climbed their way to the top of their kitchen bench with chairs to escape the water that was now level with it.

Downer’s son Hayden was on a neighbouring roof alongside a family of four that had floated on to the property in their car, and he signalled to a jet boat going up and down Pākōwhai Rd that Hollingshead and Downer needed help.

Shortly after Hayden and the family of four were winched off the roof by a helicopter, the jet boat rescue party arrived and helped Hollingshead and Downer swim through water that was almost over their head to the boat.

“I never thought I’d be jet-boating down Pākōwhai Road … I don’t wish to do it again,” Hollingshead said.

Maria Hollingshead and her partner Geoff Downer lost three houses, nine cars and several animals in Cyclone Gabrielle, but she returned to work three days later to keep busy. Photo / Supplied

Only three days after being escorted to the Te Aranga Marae community evacuation centre and reuniting with family, Hollingshead decided to turn up for a shift at Hawke’s Bay Hospital.

“I like to keep busy, and coming to work was a nice bit of normality,” she said. “It was so good being able to talk with my colleagues and friends. I’ve never been hugged so much in my life.”

She was able to return and see what had happened to her mud-covered home in the flooding not long after.

“I’m still quite numb looking back at it, and I think, ‘How do we get through this?’” she said.

“We lost everything - three houses, nine cars, sheep, some chooks and my old cat Puss. I was a bit teary when I found two of our cats sitting there waiting for our return.”

Hollingshead and Downer said they have been humbled by all the offers of support and assistance.

“People are amazing, and they’ll help us get through this.”

A Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand spokesperson said supporting the mental health and wellbeing of those in affected areas was a big priority for it.

The spokesperson said there was an additional $3.2 million of Government funding set aside to address the mental wellbeing of those affected by the weather events, and plans for additional face-to-face mental wellbeing support across Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti.