A SPLIT-SECOND decision to help a man in his motorised scooter has led to a Hervey Bay family being recognised as a shining example of Christmas spirit.
Arthur Ward was driving his motorised scooter past Allied Fitness when the tube connected to his oxygen tank kinked.
Hervey Bay mum Seana Bourke, who trains at the fitness studio, immediately went to help when she noticed the elderly gentleman struggling to unblock the hose.
"I stopped and asked if he was alright," Seana said.
"There was a Christmas bauble on the ground and I said he should take it home and put it on his tree. That's when he said he couldn't do his tree this year."
The solution was simple.
"I've got three sons and I figured three capable boys could come around and do it for them," she said.
Seana's three sons - Caleb, Brandon and Tallen Olsen - spent Friday afternoon at Arthur and Glenys Ward's Fraser Shores home hanging Christmas decorations, stockings and lights.
The charitable gesture typified the Christmas spirit - a prime example of what the festive holiday is supposed to be about.
Seana, who arrived at the Urraween home with two boxes and four bags of donated goods, said that was her family's motivation.
"They'll get more from giving here, than what they'll get from opening presents," she said.
The Olsen boys sat and listened as Mrs Ward showed them her photo albums.
"When I told them at the gym that we'd help, they all decided they'd throw in something," Seana said.
"There's been groceries, dog harnesses, Woolworths at Eli Waters threw in a bit, Fresh Tasty Fast at Eli Waters threw in a few meals, friends dropped stuff off so heaps of people got behind it.
"In three days we filled two boxes and four bags."
The Wards met at a Brisbane dancing studio 56 years ago, and moved to Hervey Bay in 2003. They have lived at Fraser Shores ever since.
Mr Ward struggled to find words to describe how it felt to receive help, not to mention the boxes of donations.
"It's beautiful," he said. "It's a real surprise, we didn't expect all of this stuff."
Seana and her sons will help another family in the lead-up to Christmas.
The Wards are lunching at Hervey Bay RSL on Christmas Day.