Wanganui artist Ross Mitchell-Anyon is in a serious condition after falling 12 metres while working on a sprinkler system in one of his buildings.
Mr Mitchell-Anyon was flown to Wellington Hospital early yesterday for treatment in the intensive care unit.
Wife Bobbi Mitchell-Anyon said her husband had sustained a "majorhead injury". He had been in critical condition earlier in the day.
"He's being ventilated at the moment ... we're just hoping that things will come right. We're just all wanting to surround him with lots of positivity and hope that he'll be back troubling everybody again."
Two ambulances and a fire unit rushed out to a building in Taupo Quay near the Victoria Ave intersection and the City Mission, on Tuesday just before 5pm, where Mr Mitchell-Anyon had fallen from scaffolding.
He was treated at the scene before being taken to Whanganui Hospital, where Mrs Mitchell-Anyon said he received "wonderful care".
He was later transferred to Wellington.
Mrs Mitchell-Anyon, who had been up since 5am Tuesday when she spoke to the Chronicle yesterday mid-morning, said she had not been able to talk to her husband, but had been sitting by his bedside.
"I'm just holding his hand and telling him that he's got to get right and be back with everybody and writing letters to the paper and stirring everyone along and making his beautiful pottery."
Doctors had not performed surgery by yesterday morning, and Mrs Mitchell-Anyon said they were "holding off at the moment with that".
"They're doing other things at the moment," she said. "That might still be an option, but it's really ... it's early days here."
She said Mr Mitchell-Anyon was working on making the sprinkler system in one of his buildings compliant with standards when he fell about 12 metres.
She asked for people's positive thoughts.
"I think everyone's aware of his great love for Wanganui," she said.
Mr Mitchell-Anyon is also a former district councillor and is known for saving and restoring heritage buildings in the city.
