Daughter of bus driver who was ‘stomped’ on thankful for community support

September 24, 2021

Gabi Wildbore says the attack against her 69-year-old dad was “vicious”.

The daughter of the 69-year-old Auckland bus driver who was seriously injured in a "vicious" 11-minute attack allegedly carried out by a passenger says she’s worried about his recovery.  

Gabi Wildbore told 1News her father, David Bahler, a former police dog handler and soldier in the 161 Field Battery, remained in a stable condition in hospital. He can’t move around nor speak very well, she said.

“He has had a CT scan of his brain function, which looks okay, but he is going to have further cognitive tests next week. I think this time round it is going to be quite a slow recovery.”

It’s the second time her father’s been attacked in just a month with the first incident happening at Railside Avenue in Henderson on August 29.

“I could barely process what had happened. It just seemed extraordinary to me that lightning could strike twice,” Wildbore said. 

“When he was attacked three weeks ago, he was just really keen to ‘get back on the horse’ in his words. He really just wanted to get back to work and just sort of face that straight away.

“This time around, to be honest, I don't even want him to go back.” 

She said she wondered at first whether the attacks were linked and whether her father was targeted. 

“But, my sense is just that it was completely random — wrong place, wrong time.”

On Thursday, a 27-year-old man was arrested and charged for allegedly attacking Bahler in an unprovoked and violent incident.

Detective Senior Sergeant Phil Cox said the 69-year-old was dragged from his seat to the aisle, where he was struck by the passenger multiple times.

Wildbore said her father hadn’t even looked at himself yet. 

“I have said ‘Don't look at your face.’ I can only tell from his voice that he can barely talk and he was stomped. 

“And, from what I understand, the attack lasted 11 minutes. It was a very long, vicious, sustained attack,” she said. 

Wildbore set up a GiveALittle page after the first attack against her father. More than 1000 people have donated, with donations now totalling more than $31,000. 

She said she was blown away by the response from the community. 

“It speaks to the fact that 99.9 per cent of New Zealanders are just the most incredible human beings and really care about their community,” Wildbore said.

“I am really hoping that I can help dad to use that money to maybe escape from the job, to be honest. 

“I'd really like him to buy a caravan and maybe just enjoy his retirement. And I thank the New Zealand public for their support of him at this time.”

Even though her father loved his job, Wildbore said she was concerned about the safety of people in the role.

“I'm just really keen to know what Auckland Transport and bus companies are going to do to safeguard their staff.”

On Thursday, Auckland Transport chief executive Shane Ellison told 1News in a statement he was "appalled and hugely upset that there has been another assault on a bus driver who was just doing their job".

Ellison said AT is working closely with police to "put an end to this abhorrent behaviour" through an increased police presence on and around Auckland buses.

Senior Sergeant Mark Clayton told 1News any form of abuse directed as bus drivers, whether verbal or physical, was “totally unacceptable”. 

“[The] number one priority for our bus drivers is to be safe and not to put themselves into any position where it can be escalated. 

“That's why we can only reiterate [that they] contact police immediately, and advise us. and we can be there to assist,” Clayton said.

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