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Friday, March 28, 2014
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Super Rugby stars back local assault victim BY ERIN TASKER
ERIN.T@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
New Zealand’s Super Rugby teams are getting behind the family of an Ashburton man seriously injured in an alcoholfuelled assault early on Sunday morning. Hurricanes wider training squad member Adam Hill – the brother of the injured man, Jeff Hill – started a Trade Me auction for a signed Hurricanes jersey on Wednesday night, saying that all money raised from that is going to his brother and his young family. That was followed yesterday by offers from both the Crusaders and Highlanders’ franchises of jerseys to be auctioned for the cause. According to Adam’s Trade Me auction, Jeff was waiting for a taxi after a night out with friends when the assault occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning. The extent of his injuries is not yet clear and he remains in Christchurch Hospital recovering from what’s been described as serious head injuries received in the assault; an assault an
Hurricanes squad member Adam Hill is auctioning jerseys to raise money for his injured brother’s family. Left - The victim of an assault in Ashburton early on Sunday morning, Jeff Hill (pictured with son Flynn).
PHOTO TRADE ME
18-year-old man was arrested by police in relation to on Wednesday. Jeff is a 31-year-old father of one whose wife Katie is due to give birth to their second child in May. In the auction listing, Adam said it had been a stressful time for them.
“I’m hoping that through this auction I can generate a small amount of money to go to help Katie travel from Ashburton to see Jeff in hospital or for accommodation to be close to him, as well getting to her regular pregnancy check-ups,” Adam said. The auction for the signed
Hurricanes jersey started with a $1 reserve but within hours had hit $1000. The Crusaders and Highlanders’ jersey auctions were yet to start. According to the auction site, Jeff remains in Christchurch Hospital’s neurological unit after suffering a fractured skull
and bleeding on the brain. He has post-traumatic amnesia and until that goes, doctors will not be able to fully diagnose how severe the damage is. That means just how long he will remain in hospital for, is unknown. Adam said the family hadn’t wanted to ask for money but he’d been inundated with enquiries from people who wanted to help out by giving small donations, so a bank account had been set up for the young family. The account number for anyone wanting to donate is 123150-0228098-51.
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