Young crash victim gives life to others

Liz Neels' organs went to seven people.

The organs of a young Cambridge woman who died after a road crash involving a campervan driven by a Lions supporter were donated to seven people waiting for transplants, her grieving family said last night.

Elizabeth Neels, 18, an only child, died in Waikato Hospital on Saturday from injuries suffered in the Thursday crash near Karapiro, about 15km east of Cambridge on State Highway 1.

Michael James Berry, 23, of Swansea, yesterday pleaded guilty to charges of careless driving causing death and careless driving causing injury.

Police said fatigue was a factor in the collision and they have warned Lions fans that road conditions are different from the motorways in Britain and that drivers should ensure they are properly rested.

Motorists should stop at regular intervals to stretch their legs, change driver, and have a drink and something to eat, police said.

The Hamilton District Court was told that Berry left Britain on June 21 with two friends, arriving in Auckland two days later at 10.30am.

After a break at his sister's house, he left Auckland about 4pm and headed south, intending to catch the 2pm inter-island ferry from Wellington the following day on the way to Christchurch for Saturday's Lions versus All Blacks test.

About 7.40pm, the campervan crossed the centre line into the northbound lane, just missing an oncoming police car. It crashed into a vehicle driven by Ms Neels.

Yesterday, community magistrate Mary Symmans refused to grant Berry name suppression and called for a restorative justice conference for him and the Neels family.

A spokesman said last night that the family did not want to meet Berry but would contact him, Nicholas Dexter, Ms Neels' cousin, said they preferred to remember her generous nature and highlight the importance of organ donation.

He said the donation process had given the family precious extra time with her. "We would really like the message to go out that it is a very rewarding process because we know she is helping a lot of people.

"There are seven people out there thanking Liz because she gave so generously."

Mr Dexter said Ms Neels' parents, Mike and Lori, were aware Berry wanted to say sorry and when the time was right they would send him a statement.

It would say that they understood he had no malicious intent and the crash was a tragic accident.

Ms Neels was in her second and final year of study at the Waikato Institute of Technology to become an apprentice chef.

Her funeral will be held at Cambridge on Thursday.

Her grandfather Austyn Neels has suggested that Lions fans and the New Zealand Rugby Union observe a moment's silence in honour of his granddaughter before the next Lions-All Blacks test.

Mr Dexter said the family had not discussed the suggestion but if it happened "we would be very touched".

- additional reporting: NZPA