Athlete brothers Ben and Sam O'Dea won volleyball bronze for New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games last month, but things weren't so rosy at home.
While they were parading in the opening ceremony with their fellow Team New Zealand athletes, Ben's Nissan Terrano was stolen from outside his Tauranga flat.
Inside it was specialist equipment he uses for his solar-panel business.
Back home his family and friends spread the word to try and find his stolen gear, but it was still missing when the brothers stepped up to the Commonwealth podium.
He found himself with no car to get around in or go to work when he returned home, but local business owners decided to step in.
Farmer Autovillage provided him a replacement vehicle, New World Mt Maunganui gave him a cheque for $1000 and CrestClean Tauranga gave him $1000 worth of cleaning equipment.
Ben said he was "really blown away".
"It's heartwarming to know our community gets behind people that are out there doing what they love," he told The Project.
Watch the video to see the full Project interview
