Sympathy messages overwhelm victim

by John Cousins | 12th March 2010

Soaring blood pressure following a vicious mob attack has forced a Tauranga war veteran to turn off his phone after being flooded with calls of support.

Evan McKenzie, who served in Malaya and Vietnam, said he has received amazing offers of support from war buddies, friends, neighbours and people he had never met.

The 62-year-old was repeatedly bashed when he  went to help a sobbing girl outside his Matua home last Friday night.

As the news spread around New Zealand, his phone rang  hot at the same time as he was under doctor's orders to rest.

The man who was lucky to survive a major heart attack two years ago, found his blood pressure had soared from the experience of being beaten up by a drunken mob. Mr McKenzie has not even opened his emails yet because of fears he will find a daunting number of messages.

Read more in today's Bay of Plenty Times