Sir Graham Henry (left) and Sir Peter Leitch assess the cooking skills of firemen Murray Selwyn (second from left) and Dick Crocker at the Christchurch Central fire station. Photo / Simon Baker
He may have notched up a Rugby World Cup and a knighthood, but Sir Graham Henry still can't convince his 95-year-old mum to leave quake-devastated Christchurch.
"We've often asked her to come to Auckland and live with us. But she won't. She won't leave her friends, she won't leave what
she knows," the former All Black coach told the Herald on a goodwill visit to his former hometown yesterday, during which he popped in on his mother, Ann.
She has lived through the thousands of quakes, and was recently on the sixth floor of Princess Margaret Hospital when there was a strong shake "and she certainly felt that one".
"She's been through two world wars and a depression, and she's been around a while. She's staunch. She's a tough old bird," Sir Graham said.
He joined the Mad Butcher, Sir Peter Leitch, in Christchurch to show their support for the emergency services.
