The incredible final act of generosity by a popular young man, 24, who died in freak circumstances after slipping off a handrail and landing on his head
- Tim Rogers, 24, died after he fell and hit his head at Auckland’s Viaduct Basin
- He had been with friends celebrating New Zealand’s national day on February 6
- Tim never regained consciousness after he sustained the critical head injuries
- The young man donated his organs to ten strangers in a selfless final act
A young man who died after slipping off a handrail and landing on his head will donate his organs to 10 strangers.
Tim Rogers, 24, never regained consciousness after suffering critical head injuries from the freak accident on February 6, New Zealand’s national day.
His mother, Jenny Rogers, said: ‘Whoever has his heart will have the biggest heart.
‘He was generous, kind, very loving, loved children and was polite,’ she told the NZ Herald.
Tim Rogers, 24, selflessly donated his organs after he sustained critical injuries in February
Tim had been out celebrating Waitangi Day when he decided to move to the Viaduct Basin, a popular nightlife spot in the heart of Auckland.
CCTV footage showed Tim stopping by the railing near the water’s edge around 11.30pm before trying to sit down.
His family believe he was in the process of ordering an Uber home to Mt Wellington.
Tim failed to get on the railing and lost his balance which caused him to fall backwards, flipping and hit his head on the pontoon below.
A spokeswoman from St John said two ambulances were sent after they received a call that someone had fallen in Quay St at 11.45pm
He was found with critical head injuries and taken to hospital just after midnight.
Tim tried to sit on the railing at Auckland’s Viaduct Basin when he fell and hit his head
Mrs Rogers received a call from the emergency room about her son: ‘We were told that he’d been in an accident and had critical injuries,’ she said.
The Rogers family were told that there was no chance of saving their beloved Tim just hours after the accident.
Mrs Rogers said she was hesitant when medical staff asked whether they would consider donating Tim’s organs.
But her husband and four older children knew it was what Tim would have wanted.
Husband Kerry Rogers revealed he had a chance conversation with Tim weeks earlier about organ donation, with his son saying: ‘If you don’t donate your organs, you must be a selfish person, because why wouldn’t you help someone if you could?’
Tim’s legacy will live on in his generous act of donating his organs to ten strangers.
His funeral service was attended by 800 people at Eden Park.
The Rogers family are now calling on authorities to make changes to the railing around the Viaduct Basin to prevent another accident.
Tim (pictured left with his girlfriend Chantelle) was described as generous, loving and kind