There has been one family who've had the toughest start to 2023 imaginable.
In mid-January, Rebecca Hayes and her partner Myk Gerbes's 16-year-old son Mikaere was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
Now their Tauranga home has been destroyed by a landslide, leaving them homeless.
Friends and family are rallying around to help the family, launching a givealittle page to help raise funds to support them.
Speaking with Lloyd Burr on Friday afternoon, Gerbes said seeing his home after the landslide was "pretty surreal".
"It was about quarter to 12, we just heard an almighty thunderous crack," Gerbes said.
"Rebecca got thrown out of bed… We heard our neighbour, the mother next door, screaming.
"I initially thought, half asleep, man, that hail is pretty hardcore. It sounds like the roof has just come in and it literally did.
"I opened the curtain and looked out and just saw my tin shed up against the window and went, hmm, that's not meant to be there."
Gerbes said his family is staying at Rebecca's dads house for the time being, trying to sort out their insurance during this in-between period.
"The insurance company is playing hardball, as they do," he said.
"Rebecca on Monday spent about 3 hours on the phone… Lodging in the form.
"They've sent us a form to fill out and we have to have everything itemised in the house - the condition it's in, the age it is, how long we've owned it for, what it's worth now, what the price was when we bought it, and if we've got serial numbers.
"They don't want anything to do with us until we can get back into the place."
Although Gerbes' situation is very difficult and arduous, he told Burr there is no point in getting worried about things that aren't in their control.
"We could be really upset and kicking ourselves and hating life and doing silly things but seriously… What can you do other than just take it with a grain of salt."
Gerbes told Burr that Mikaere is also doing "really well" since being diagnosed.
"We can't quite understand how a 16-year-old can have cancer… [But] they have said it's very treatable," Gerbes said.
"He's lost a bit of weight but he's still going to work.
"We're going to start chemo in about two weeks… He's been quite well."
Listen to the full interview between Myk Gerbes and Lloyd Burr above.
You can also download the full interview on the Lloyd Burr Live podcast, and listen on the go.
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER.
Stay in the loop on some of the most important things happening at Today FM - whether it be the biggest news stories, host opinions or the latest on what you need to know about happening on air and on our website. Sign up here.
