Covid could not stop Christchurch 89-year-old Ron Towner from continuing his mission to raise money for a rescue helicopter trust.
The Royal Air Force veteran, known as Airman Ron, completed daily hikes in Halswell where he lives to raise $ 90,000 for the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust before turning 90 in late July.
Ron picked up Covid during a practice class he ran for Age Concern and completed his isolation period last weekend.
His wife Val also caught Covid and while she was spending a lot of time in bed, Ron was continuing to walk after getting permission from his doctor.
When he tested positive he said the doctors put him on extra pills for his lung disease and apart from a sore throat he was mostly fine.
“The funny thing is, they scared me to death because they told me the antibiotics had some very bad side effects and I did not get any of them,” he laughed.
Ron’s idea to raise money for the helicopter trust stemmed from the famous Captain Sir Tom Moore, a former British army officer who raised almost NZ $ 60 million for the UK National Health Service by walking his backyard during the Covid restriction in Britain.
While Ron admitted that it was getting a little colder during his hikes, he did not think of stopping while he had Covid.
“I have to do it otherwise I fall behind … I actually missed one day because it was very heavy rain all day so I did two hikes the next day.”
Ron has so far raised $ 24,106 on his Giveaway page and said he also sold his leather jacket on Trade Me for $ 61 for the cause.
“Westpac is very enthusiastic about it, so it was great … they are such wonderful people, very kind people.”
A meeting and greeting was arranged for Ron over the weekend which he said would be postponed as the people organizing it also contracted Covid.
While still having a bit of a sore throat, Ron said he has recovered well from the virus and will continue his hikes.
“Except for the lung disease and the effects of my stroke, I’m pretty fit for my age, I think.”
• Donate to Ron’s cause here.