A heartbroken son has recalled the moment he discovered his father was in a coma following a vicious fight in a pub as loved ones paid tribute to the beloved mechanic.
Paul ‘Bernie’ Andrews, 59, remained in a coma for almost three weeks following a violent fight at the Unanderra Hotel on the New South Wales south coast on April 12.
Andrews fell backwards onto Rhys Olbrich, 34, when he was allegedly pushed and a fight broke out just before 11pm at the Wollongong pub.
Olbrich is accused of grabbing Mr Andrews and punching him twice, knocking him unconscious and leaving him with serious head injuries.
Andrews was treated by paramedics at the scene before being rushed to Wollongong Hospital in a critical condition.
He suffered a skull fracture and underwent surgery to relieve some of the swelling in his brain before being placed in a medically induced coma.
Three weeks later, his family made the difficult decision to take him off life support and the mechanic died surrounded by his loved ones on May 1.
His son Brett Andrews, 38, said his community will remember his father as someone who was always willing to lend a hand.
Mechanic Paul Andrews (pictured) in 1996 is remembered as a beloved father and grandfather who was always willing to lend a hand.
“He was just a good person,” Brett told Daily Mail Australia.
“It’s one of the biggest things I’ve held on to: Some people don’t have good fathers, but he just was.”
Brett, who works in the mines, was underground when the rest of his family found out that his father was in a coma.
Instead, she found out through a text message from her mother when her shift ended.
Brett said the hardest thing about his father’s death is that his brothers’ son, Asher, who is only 2 1/2 years old, may not remember his loving grandfather.
His father’s border collie, Chaz, is also mourning the loss of his owner, but is in the care of Brett, who lived with his father until his death.
In a disturbing twist of fate, eight years ago, almost to the day of the pub incident, Paul had a close call after an oil drum exploded at work.
He suffered severe burns and was airlifted to a Sydney hospital.
Paul ‘Bernie’ Andrews, 59, remained in a coma for almost three weeks following a violent fight at the Unanderra Hotel on the New South Wales south coast on Friday, April 12.
Along the way, Paul told his children that he was visited by his grandfather, who urged him to repair his relationship with them and his ex-wife.
Over the next eight years, Paul and his ex-partner were able to put aside their differences and he was blessed with a grandson.
TO GoFundMe is raising funds for his funeral, which is expected to be held on Friday.
Olbrich turned himself in to police three days after the incident and was charged with affray and causing serious bodily injury with intent.
Police were notified that Andrews had died in hospital on May 1.
“There is no update on charges at this time,” a NSW Police spokesperson said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Hotel Unanderra for comment.
