The severity of the storm is such that lives could have been lost but for the extraordinary collective effort of people on the ground. What we've seen in the response effort is the spirit of cooperation and togetherness that Canterbury is known for around the world. It's during very difficult times like this that we're reminded of the importance of community and of looking out for each other—those moments when the small frustrations that we all experience vanish into the background and we focus on what really matters: community, a warm safe place to rest, and family.