Comedian-turned-mental health advocate Mike King has revealed Friday's Gumboot Day for mental health brought in close to $1 million.
In a Twitter post on Wednesday, King announced the funds raised for Gumboot Friday totalled $917,632.63.
The initiative, which asked Kiwis to wear gumboots for the day, was launched in an effort to bring in money that'd be used to provide young people with free mental health care.
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Wellington's Hurricanes Super Rugby team were among the most high-profile to get behind the initiative, with Ardie Savea posting a photo on Instagram picturing himself and several other players donning gumboots on the day.
"More than a game," the post says. "#GumbootFriday with my brothers."
King previously told Newshub he was staggered by the response.
He said he was hugely optimistic about the future of Gumboot Up NZ, and the movement to de-stigmatise mental illness.
"It's about creating positive conversations around a really negative subject, and normalising something that everyone struggles with."
Newshub.
