Queenstown to Invercargill: The charity ride that's personal
"Everybody's got a cool story or some sort of relationship to the ride or the helicopter."
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Reece McDonald is about to take part in his 10th Westpac Chopper Appeal Ride. A Queenstown to Invercargill ride that raises money for the rescue helicopters that service Southland.
It’s a ride that is largely made up of weekend warriors with a smattering of star power added into the field of up to 100 riders.
This year that star power will include the husband and wife duo of Richie and Gemma McCaw.
McDonald’s 10th ride will coincide with the charity event tipping over the $1 million mark, in terms of the funds raised across the soon-to-be 13 rides held.
Westpac Invercargill branch manager Phil Taylor - a former Stags winger - has completed all 12 and is about to ride No 13.
For McDonald, it’s personal - in terms of where the money raised goes.
On morning in 2019 he thought he had indigestion but said to his wife Jo he felt a bit funny.
A call was made to McDonald’s sister-in-law who works in the medical sector.
At that point, he didn’t have a numb arm or the sweats that might point to a heart attack.
But the advice was to still get himself checked out as a precaution.
About halfway there those sweats began, and he started to feel numb in his arm.
“So the doctor's surgery that I went to, that's as far as I got there, and then they called the ambulance.”
McDonald was then quickly whisked to Dunedin via the helicopter service where he had stents put in.
“The chopper guys were awesome,” McDonald told The Roar Podcast this week.
He had taken part in the Westpac Chopper Appeal Ride a few times before his heart attack and when he was en route from Invercargill to Dunedin it hit home further what the charity ride was all about.
“It did get really personal.”
“I paid for my ride in a way,” McDonald joked.
Six weeks after that heart attack - with the blessing of his cardiologist - McDonald completed that year’s Westpac Chopper Appeal Ride.
“I struggled a little bit. There were a couple of boys that gave me the hand of God and pushed me up a couple of hills.”
First and foremost, the event is about raising money for a much-needed service that has proved vital for many Southlanders.
But on top of that, McDonald told The Roar Podcast it was an amazing day to be part of with a heap of camaraderie attached.
He noted there had been some tough mental challenges during the ride from Queenstown to Invercargill over the years but it was the people who helped get him and others through that.
“I've made some amazing friends over the years doing the ride. You are stuck with them for, I don't know, eight or nine hours you have to talk to me, but you're also talking to like 90 other people, and everybody's got a cool story or some sort of relationship to the ride or the helicopter.
“This year there's two of the guys that have supported it for a long time both used [the helicopter service] in the last six months.”
This year’s Westpac Chopper Appeal Ride will be held on Friday May 10, setting off from Frankton at about 5.30am.
They are expected to arrive at Westpac’s new office premises on the corner of Esk St and Dee St at about 4.30pmish.
For those wanting to get behind the fundraiser, you can give the riders a push by donating to the Westpac Chopper Appeal Ride here: The Million $$$ Ride - Westpac Chopper Appeal Bike Ride QT2INV 10th May 2024 - Givealittle