Heroic effort helps get Amita to the US

Students and staff at Kaitao Middle School get behind Amita Renata (front) for the Make-A-Wish, I Wish I Was Day. Photo / Andrew Warner

A school full of superheroes has sent a special Rotorua boy off on the trip of a lifetime.
Kaitao Middle School held a superhero mufti-day yesterday, ahead of today's I Wish I Was Day, run by Make-A-Wish New Zealand.

It was all in support of 11-year-old schoolmate Amita Renata who is off on a two-week trip to California thanks to the Koru Care Charitable Trust.

He is one of 26 kids around the country chosen for the trip.

Among the many Supermans, there was Cat Woman, Ninja, Invisible Man, Spiderman, Hulk and even a "Maori Batman".

Principal Rory O'Rourke said the $500 raised for the case was "pretty amazing".

"I'm thrilled to see so many of our kids and staff dressed as some form of superhero.

"It's often difficult [financially] for these kids to buy or hire a costume and they have to create them - it's good to see such large numbers have gone out of their way to do this."

Amita was diagnosed with a heart condition four years ago after an undiagnosed sore throat led to rheumatic fever.

He underwent open heart surgery to help repair the damaged valve and spent six months in hospital. It's been "hard" for the previously active boy. Amita said he lost his breath when he ran, so had to start walking.

His mother, Ngawai Cole, said he'd been pretty good since his hospitalisation but couldn't get involved in contact sports, so it "kind of limits him". He loved his superheroes, she said.

Amita said he was "pretty excited" about the trip and was humbled by all the attention he was getting. Today he'll be flying to Auckland and catching a plane to Los Angeles tomorrow.

He's looking forward to a good view from the aircraft windows, visiting all the theme parks, especially Disneyland and Universal Studios, and going shopping in one of the mega shopping malls. However, he admits to being a "bit nervous" on his first big trip away from his family.