Perth, Western Australia – The family of Georgina "Gina" Cribb, a beloved member of the Maori community and a proud Maori warden for many years, is mourning her sudden passing. Gina tragically passed away in her sleep, leaving her children, Gary and Mel, and grandchildren devastated.
Her family, who resides in Perth, is organizing a fundraiser to gather funds for her tangi (funeral) service, scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 28th, in New Zealand. The unexpected nature of her passing and the high travel costs during the school holiday period have made this an especially difficult time for the family.
A GoFundMe page, organized by her daughter, Melanie Cribb, is collecting donations to assist the family in returning to New Zealand to honor Gina’s memory. As of Monday, $525 AUD has been raised out of the $4,000 goal through six donations. Contributors include Vicki Todd, who donated $100 just 16 minutes ago, and Rich Atkinson, who contributed $200 four hours ago.
Melanie Cribb shared her heartfelt message on Facebook, expressing the importance of saying goodbye to her mother. "We don’t like to ask, but timing isn’t great and saying goodbye to mum is very important to us," she posted. Melanie also expressed deep gratitude to those who have already helped, stating, "Please don’t feel obliged, but if you can help, it would be very much appreciated."
The outpouring of support from friends and community members has been immense. Christine Mewett, a close friend, commented, "Big hugs to you all" and later added, "I wish I could give more, I’m so sorry for your loss." Damian Te Huia also offered assistance, asking how he could help, to which Melanie responded with plans to send a message.
The family continues to appeal for donations and shares their appreciation for the kindness and generosity shown during this difficult time. As the fundraiser progresses, they hope to gather enough support to cover the travel expenses for Gina’s final journey home.