A Givealittle page has been created for Jake Milbank, who is in the burns unit of Middlemore Hospital surrounded by family, to raise money for anything he needs during recovery.
The page was created by Rebecca Holder who shared the cause on Facebook saying it was the young man's 19th birthday on the day of the eruption.
Milbank is described on the Givealittle page as a "normally passionate energetic young man" who had a "love for anything ocean".
He was in his element when this tragedy occurred, it continued.
"However he now has a long journey to recovery, and anything raised on this page will be used to help the family financially to ensure they can be by his side all the way.
"And provide anything Jake will need during his recovery."
More details have emerged today about the survivors who were hospitalised across New Zealand after the Whakaari/White Island eruption.
There are 30 patients in six hospitals - Middlemore, Hutt Valley, Auckland City, Tauranga, Waikato and Christchurch - and 25 of those patients are critical with the remainder in a serious but stable condition.
