After 160 days on the Te Araroa trail (including rest days and a week off in Christchurch), Sam and his trail buddies, Alex and Rachel, made it to Bluff and the infamous signpost at Stirling Point on Easter Sunday.
Their final day began at 2am to hike the last 67km of the 3058km trail. It was fish ‘n chips to celebrate, and they were relieved to find a cafe open on Easter Sunday! We send our heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Sam and his travel buddies.
Please consider donating via Sam’s givealittle page. Scroll down to find out more about why Sam wants to raise money for SibSupport NZ®, and to see some absolutelty stunning photos from the Motatapu Track.
My story is like many others, I grew up in a typical tight knit family with Mum, Dad, me and my brother. The one difference is that my brother is Autistic with a severe intellectual disability. I like to think of it more as a different way of interpreting the world. Growing up with my brother definitely had its challenges, from spontaneously setting off fire alarms to multiple broken windows. He always kept my parents and me on our toes! However, there have been some truly special moments, such as when he gained independence by moving into his own assisted living place.
Throughout all of this, we have been so fortunate to have the support of Parent to Parent. My personal connection is through the SibSupport programme. This programme brings siblings together for facilitated day workshops, games and structured conversations around life with a disabled sibling. The goal is to offer support from others with lived experience. I work as a volunteer, serving as both a SibLeader and a Volunteer Facilitator for these programmes.
