Soft Landing NZ

A South African immigrant’s story of courage, family, and the Kiwi healthcare system that gave him a new heart — and a new life.

By Brett Corlett | Soft Landing Podcast

Introduction

When I first met Cisko, I had no idea how much his story would move me. As a fellow immigrant from South Africa now making New Zealand home, I thought I’d heard it all, but nothing prepared me for what he had lived through.

Cisko and his family immigrated to New Zealand seven years ago, leaving behind the rising crime and uncertainty in South Africa to give their three young children a safer future. Like so many of us, they packed their dreams into a few suitcases and arrived with hope, faith, and determination to build a new life in Tauranga.

“It was for our kids’ safety and their future,” Cisko told me.
“South Africa wasn’t the place it once was — we had to move on.”

The Dream Life in Tauranga

Cisko found work, his children settled into school, and the family quickly fell in love with life near the beach and the view of Mount Maunganui. Everything seemed on track, until his heart literally started to fail.

The Day Everything Changed

In 2022, after feeling unusually weak at work, Cisko visited his GP. Within 24 hours he was admitted to hospital, and within a week doctors told him his organs were shutting down. He was airlifted by helicopter from Tauranga to Auckland in critical condition, fighting for his life.

“When the doctor said, ‘We don’t know what else to do,’ I knew things were bad,” Cisko said.
“My heart was only pumping at 14 percent.”

Life on the Edge

Doctors placed him in an induced coma, performed multiple emergency surgeries, and connected him to a mechanical pump to keep his heart going. Over just 10 days, Cisko underwent three major operations and technically died once before being revived.

His wife Adele drove between Tauranga and Auckland every week, a four-hour journey each way, while juggling their three children and running a small business. Their friends took turns caring for the kids so she could be at his bedside.

The Hard Road to Recovery

Cisko spent over two months in intensive care, unable to talk, move, or eat. He lost 37 kilograms and had to relearn how to walk, talk, and even shower. His 40th birthday came while he was still in ICU, but his care team and family organised a surprise party to remind him what he was fighting for.

“When I opened my eyes and saw all my family and friends singing to me, I realized, I’m still here. I’m alive for them.”

Faith, Family & the Kiwi Medical Miracle

After months of rehab and physiotherapy, Cisko slowly rebuilt his strength. He now lives with a new heart post his transplant, a journey few people survive. He credits the New Zealand healthcare team, his donor, his wife’s strength, and his children’s love for keeping him alive.

“My wife decorated my hospital room with pictures of our kids so I’d remember why I needed to keep fighting.”

Today, Cisko is back home in Tauranga, recovering, rebuilding, and grateful for a second chance at life — something he calls a true Kiwi miracle.

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Reflections as a Fellow Immigrant

Listening to Cisko’s story reminded me why so many of us come to New Zealand, not just for safety or opportunity, but for hope. His journey shows that even when life takes us to the edge, faith, family, and community can pull us back.

If you’re an immigrant building your new life here, remember: your challenges might be different, but your courage is the same.

🎧 Listen to Episode 22

➡️ https://youtu.be/XZlSQt7UIB4?si=p89x4pmBdlGMacP1

📢 Stay Connected

I’d love your help.
The Inner Circle App is coming soon — a free space for migrants to connect, learn, and belong in New Zealand. We’d love your input! Help us shape it so it truly supports your needs.

https://forms.gle/FuTEd7cMwv7jzSK56

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