Previously unseen vision shows Golden Bay man's desperate race to reach pregnant partner during Cyclone Gita

February 26, 2018

Nick Schryvers was stuck in Takaka when partner Bec Brown went into labour in Nelson. One problem – the road was closed.

A Golden Bay man's desperate race to reach his pregnant partner during Cyclone Gita was caught on camera, the unseen vision airing on Seven Sharp tonight.

Bec Brown, pregnant in Nelson, realised baby Artie was on his way. 

Trouble is partner Nick Schryvers was 130 kilometres away, working at Health Post in Collingwood, and between them was the Takaka Hill road, blocked by slips.

Transport options for Nick were "looking pretty dire" when the mountain biking enthusiast had a bright idea of biking over the hill.

Then his boss went one better, suggesting he could go on a helicopter that was coming in.

Personal shots taken at the time show a smiling Nick boarding the helicopter.

"I've just had a phone call saying some things are starting to happen. So lucky enough to jump on the chopper," he says to the camera.

Nick arrived in Nelson in time for Artie, who checked into the world at 3.5 kilos. 

"As I was flying over there I think I did see the level of the wider destruction," Nick said later, nursing Artie, with Bec sitting beside him.

"Obviously with any baby it's a journey. And for us it was something that we absolutely loved going through together," Nick said.

When it comes to a father's love, neither hell nor high water - nor washed out roads - will stop dad coming through.

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