81-year-old Waikato man was the victim of a road rage incident in Otaki last night.
Norm Russell wasn't a man to sit still for long.
He was 81 but he was still helping out son, Darrell, with his business Piako Motors, ferrying vehicles in between the company's yards throughout Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
He wasn't even meant to be mowing the family's lawns attheir rural Morrinsville property on Saturday when he suffered a sudden medical event.
The 81-year-old was left with extensive bruising that stretched from his eye down to his adam's apple following an alleged road-rage incident last month. Photo / Belinda Feek
Norm was found by partner, Marie, and emergency services were called.
As family busily prepare the "fun-loving, cheeky bugger's" funeral on Saturday, Darrell and wife, Catherine, greet shocked guests of a man regarded as an identity in the area as there was unlikely a person, or a face, he didn't know.
Darrell said although his father was due to celebrate his 82nd birthday in May, he loved helping out with the business and catching up with all the staff.
Norm Russell loved driving, especially after nearly four decades driving trucks. However, he was still a keen helper at his son's business, Piako Motors. Photo / Supplied
"We have a 100 plus staff and he had a big influence on them ... he's also very much well-known around town."
Norm was the type of a guy described by friends as a "good bastard", by one, and "just adorable".
A man has since been charged over the incident, which Marie witnessed.
The image of his bashed face went around the world. He told the Herald at the time: "There was blood everywhere, split all my gums from my false teeth."
Marie said Norm, who couldn't open his eye for three days, had still been "very, very upset" about what happened, and was having trouble letting it go.
They were pleased a man has now been charged and were keen for the court process to continue.
Marie said they had been in Tauranga earlier on Saturday before returning home and Norm decided to mow the lawns, something he wasn't meant to be doing, Darrell said.
Norm Russell pictured after being given his suprise 80th birthday present last year - a MItsubishi Outlander Phev. Photo / Supplied
Her board was swept to one side of the boat while she was stuck under the boat on the other side unable to free herself, likely due to her leg rope becoming wrapped around the boat's keel.
The Russells are renowned for their generosity in the Piako region, and while Darrell has now lost both parents - Mum Kathleen died in 2013 - it was Norm who was forever proud of his son and his achievements.
Writing in the foreword of his semi-biography for his birthday last year, Norm wrote, "if I can claim one notable success it was the raising, with Kathleen of course, a son of whom I could not be more proud of".
"Not only proud of his business success and creating his own wonderful family, but proud of the fact he is a good man in every sense of the word".
