Press / Promo: NZ Herald
Wellington Paranormal Auction Boost
Written by Sophie Trigger for NZ Herald. Published 21 October, 2021.
An international auction of tasers, police patches and signed scripts from a beloved New Zealand comedy show is hoped to tip a Wellington teenager's legacy above the $1 million mark.
Fifteen-year-old Jemima Gazley passed away from terminal brain cancer last week, after spending her last few weeks alive fundraising for research and a cure into her disease.
Closing tomorrow, her Give A Little page now sits at $615,000 – but the team behind TV comedy show Wellington Paranormal are hoping to give it one final push.
Launching at 3pm and lasting 24 hours, an international auction is listing items from the police investigation mockumentary – including Minogue and O'Leary's taser, Minogue's police patch and a signed script for the very first episode.
On offer is also a virtual meeting with the Paranormal Unit team, who will give their expert advice on any paranormal experiences the lucky bidder is facing.
Kiwi actor Mike Minogue – who plays officer Minogue – said they were hoping for high interest from all over the globe, as the show screened in more than 60 countries.
He said the Give A Little page had already exceeded all expectations."Initially the had a goal of $20,000 and it's up to $600,000 now, so I don't think anyone would be disappointed if it ended right now," he said.
"But for me I just want to give Jemima the best legacy and a million bucks seems like a nice round number for me."
The Gazleys were family friends, and Minogue said the auction was honouring her wishes, in raising as much money as possible for research into Jemima's form of cancer, DIPG.
"It's just an opportunity for people to chip in and raise some funds for somebody who is really selfless," he said.
"She spent her final weeks raising money to help other people, whereas perhaps she could have been feeling sorry for herself, or concentrating on more immediate things."
The money raised will go to Australian researcher Dr Matt Dun, who is working towards better treatments and a cure for DIPG – the particularly deadly form of childhood brain cancer that also took his own daughter's life.
