gunnamatta bay
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http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/0,2106,3569703a6442,00.html
More pain for Nikau
12 February 2006
Tragedy-struck league legend Tawera Nikau has once again suffered a personal loss, with his father, Barry, dying suddenly of internal bleeding.
Nikau and his children rushed from their Huntly home to Middlemore Hospital on February 5 to say their last goodbyes to the 63-year-old, who had followed his son's stellar league career around the world.
Nikau's brother, Gerald, said their father collapsed at his East Tamaki, Auckland home at about 6pm. "The ambulance came and stayed with him for about 45 minutes. He was fine, he was coherent, in good spirits and laughing. He said `don't worry, I'm fine'."
Gerald Nikau said his father was taken to Middlemore for a check-up and his condition deteriorated rapidly.
He said his father's blood pressure kept dropping but he was not given a scan until about three-and-a-half hours later, by which time internal bleeding in his stomach was so bad there was nothing that could be done as surgery would have been too dangerous.
"I think they could have done more earlier," he said.
A hospital spokeswoman, contacted last night, said she did not know about the case and it was too late to get information in time for the newspaper's deadline.
Gerald Nikau said his father was in good health and had no known medical problems. He had run a large trucking firm up until the time of his death.
Former league stars, including Richard Barnett, Clayton Friend and Gary Freeman, and rugby stars Eric Rush and Frano Botica attended the tangi at Rangiriri on Thursday.
In 2001, Tawera Nikau's wife Letitia took her own life in England. In 2003, Nikau lost his right leg below the knee after crashing his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
More pain for Nikau
12 February 2006
Tragedy-struck league legend Tawera Nikau has once again suffered a personal loss, with his father, Barry, dying suddenly of internal bleeding.
Nikau and his children rushed from their Huntly home to Middlemore Hospital on February 5 to say their last goodbyes to the 63-year-old, who had followed his son's stellar league career around the world.
Nikau's brother, Gerald, said their father collapsed at his East Tamaki, Auckland home at about 6pm. "The ambulance came and stayed with him for about 45 minutes. He was fine, he was coherent, in good spirits and laughing. He said `don't worry, I'm fine'."
Gerald Nikau said his father was taken to Middlemore for a check-up and his condition deteriorated rapidly.
He said his father's blood pressure kept dropping but he was not given a scan until about three-and-a-half hours later, by which time internal bleeding in his stomach was so bad there was nothing that could be done as surgery would have been too dangerous.
"I think they could have done more earlier," he said.
A hospital spokeswoman, contacted last night, said she did not know about the case and it was too late to get information in time for the newspaper's deadline.
Gerald Nikau said his father was in good health and had no known medical problems. He had run a large trucking firm up until the time of his death.
Former league stars, including Richard Barnett, Clayton Friend and Gary Freeman, and rugby stars Eric Rush and Frano Botica attended the tangi at Rangiriri on Thursday.
In 2001, Tawera Nikau's wife Letitia took her own life in England. In 2003, Nikau lost his right leg below the knee after crashing his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
