Reid O’Leary Charitable Trust: Korrin Barrett to speak at Hastings auction

Korrin Barrett lost her hands and legs after sepsis. Photo / Jodie Shanks

Resilience expert Korrin Barrett will be guest speaker at a suicide prevention auction on Friday.

The Atrium at Tribune on Hastings’ Queen street will host the event, which has been organised by the Reid O’Leary Charitable Trust.

Barrett, a Kiwi quadruple amputee and motivational speaker, faced her greatest challenge in 2012, yet from that trauma she realised she was built with a resilience she never knew she had.

She spent 233 days in hospital and countless more hours in rehab, but decided not to accept that losing her limbs meant giving up her busy, active lifestyle.

She’s endured her fair share of loss, not only physically, but with the loss of her brother who took his own life in 2014.

Barrett now shares her story of survival with honesty, humour and heart and encourages others to live their lives unlimited.

The suicide of Hastings mechanic Reid O'Leary rocked the community in 2020.

“My favourite quotes are ‘if it doesn’t challenge you it doesn’t change you’ and ‘you’re given three choices in life, give in, give up or give it all you’ve got!’”

The Reid O’Leary Charitable Trust was formed in 2021 in memory of Hastings mechanic Reid O’Leary who tragically took his own life just after his 21st birthday at the end of 2020.

Money raised at Friday’s auction will help support the trust’s goal of suicide awareness and prevention.

For tickets email rkorockthebay@gmail.com or text Keady 0274 400 818. Doors open at 6pm.