However, Mr Testa and his wife Faye have suffered a further setback after the $17,647 raised for them at a charity fundraiser mysteriously went missing.

Wollongong detectives have confirmed they are investigating the disappearance of the money from the Bella Portofino in Wollongong on the night of the fundraiser, January 31.

It has been a major blow for Mr Testa’s recovery, with the money earmarked for a specialised exercise machine which would attach to his wheelchair.

‘‘I have no feeling in my legs so this machine was important for my rehabilitation – it was going to help keep my cardio fitness up and maintain the muscle tone in my legs,’’ Mr Testa said.

‘‘I had access to this machine when I was recovering in the spinal rehabilitation unit at the Prince of Wales hospital, but since returning home I have not been able to improve at all without such specialised equipment.

‘‘It’s not going to be a miracle cure, but I have hope that it may lead to some improvement in my condition.’’

The Testas are dismayed not only for themselves – but for the 450 family members and friends who attended the fundraiser.

They said a fundraising committee counted the funds raised from the raffle held on the night, and handed the cash over to the function centre manager in the belief it would be kept secure in a safe. When Mrs Testa returned to the centre a couple of days later, she said she was informed that the money had disappeared without trace.

‘‘We’re talking up out of respect for our guests – for the people who donated their hard-earned money and we never got to see it,’’ Mr Testa said. ‘‘That money wasn’t just taken from us, it was taken from everyone at the function.’’

Mr Testa, 43, was diagnosed as a tetraplegic after routine surgery to replace a disc in his neck last September went tragically wrong.

Ten months later, he has no movement or feeling from the chest down – he has minimal mobility in his arms but nothing in his hands.

The couple are staying in temporary accommodation while their house is renovated to accommodate Mr Testa’s wheelchair, while their teenage children – Jasmine and Cameron – are staying with grandparents.

‘‘Mentally, I have good days, and bad days,’’ Mr Testa said. ‘‘It is what it is, we’re just coping with each day.’’

Bella Portofino manager Manuel Paradisis told the Mercury he had no idea what happened to the money but in good faith had agreed to pay it back to the Testa family.

He has not yet made a statement to the police but said he intended to do so this week.

‘‘She [Mrs Testa] came three days after the function and thanked me, she never mentioned anything about the money until 5 weeks later,’’ Mr Paradisis said.

‘‘She said it was in a pencil case and I told her I didn’t recall being given a pencil case. I asked the staff, the cleaners. Then she said it was actually a hessian bag and I remember her giving me a hessian bag, but I have no idea how much money was in it and I don’t recall where I put it. It could have been the office, the bridal room, it could have ended up in the bin, I just don’t know,’’ he said.

‘‘There were lots of other people there during that night, 180 people for a wedding, and the next day 360 people were in the place, plus staff and cleaners.’’

Mr Paradisis said he felt bad for the family and told them ‘‘let me sort something out, I will basically reimburse the money’’.

He said he had been trying to contact the family to make arrangements but had not been able to make contact.

‘‘I have no idea how much money there was in the bag, it was never counted in front of me so how could I know, but I will take their word for it because I feel responsible, I feel bad about the whole situation and so I’ve said I will pay them back the money. I want to sort this out.’’

- By Cydonee Mardon

The Bella Portofino Group Pty Ltd has lodged an application for voluntary deregistration with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission.

The application was lodged by one of the directors on July 10, 2015, and the status is ‘‘strike-off action in progress’’, according to ASIC records.

However, Bella Portofino manager Manuel Paradisis said the company in question – with a registered office in Dapto and principal place of business listed as Atchison Street, Wollongong – was not the company that operated the Wollongong International Function Centre.

The function centre operated under another business name, DLO Catering Pty Ltd, and was still doing business, Mr Paradisis said.

The news follows the temporary closure last week of the function centre, which he said was due to airconditioning problems.