T-Bone (Teata Vainerere) Diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis

Let’s support T-Bone and his family by donating because he would do it for you!

26 years ago, I fell in love with this amazing man, who turned my whole life around. He taught me a whole new world within his cook island culture. It wasn't long before I proposed to him and we started on our family having 4 beautiful children. 2 of which also started working with their Dad just so they could learn from him and be close to him.

Recently our lives have drastically changed as a family. My amazing hardworking husband woke up to no feeling in his legs, unable to move them or feel any sensation. He was flown home from work, so I was able to get him seen to in hospital. We were told the news that he needed major surgery on his spine because his spinal cord and nerve roots were being crushed. Teata has been diagnosed with severe spinal stenosis (Spinal stenosis - Wikipedia) and being told “he will not make a full recovery due to discs being removed from his spine,” he will deteriorate slowly eventually losing all mobility. Never to return to his normal work as a steel fixer.

This is one of the hardest things we have had to endure as a family as Teata lived for his job and loved everyone he has met through his work. He now must go to rehabilitation to see if he can learn to walk again. It is extremely hard to sit here with our children and watch the love of my life lose his ability to physically function. It's the fear of losing use of your legs and not knowing if, by some miracle he can return to doing what he loves will be a distant dream. Teata was our main income source and now that is gone the fear of not being able to pay bills and buy necessities is very real and daunting at this time. Due to the circumstances, I was also asked to hand in my resignation as the company wasn’t supportive of my situation and me having to put my husband and family first. We don't know how we are going to pay our bills. It is a real struggle and very worrying, but I am trying hard to hold it together for my husband and children.

Teata has always had a big heart willing to help those in need whether it was for advice or a roof over their head and for a while we have provided a home without question. Every year at Christmas Teata and I would take the kids and buy hot meals for the homeless, as our way of paying it forward also to teach our kids never judge a book by its cover; to give from your heart. For anyone that has been fortunate in knowing and working with Teata would know he is such a kind-hearted but hardworking man. Always willing to help and teach those around him. He also loved playing golf, fishing and cars this will all now need to be assisted by a mobility scooter.

Nicole Vainerere (T-Bone's Wife)