Kiwi aid worker Andrew Bagshaw, who was killed while providing humanitarian support in Ukraine, is set to be honoured at home and in the war-torn country.
Bagshaw and colleague Chris Parry were killed in January this year while trying to rescue an elderly woman in the town of Soledar, an area of intense military action.
Now, nearly a year after his death, Bagshaw is being honoured by the council of Kostiantynivka in Donbas – who are naming a street after him.
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, Bagshaw’s parents, Phillip and Dame Susan, said they were “completely bowled over” after hearing the news.
“We had no idea that it was happening at all,” Phillip said.
He said it was facilitated by one of his old colleagues who worked with the city council.
They “just sent us a message and said, ‘This has just happened’.”
Phillip said: “One day, Sue and I just have to walk down that street."
“I can’t wait, but of course, a little thing like a war has to stop first,” Dame Sue said.
When asked how their son would have reacted to the tribute, Dame Sue joked that Andrew “would've hated” all the fuss being made about him.
“He was a very quiet guy. He would not have said or done anything,” Phillip said.
Andrew will also be remembered at home on Friday, with a T20 cricket match being played at Hagley Park in his honour.
At the match, he will be posthumously awarded the Civic Peace Award.
“We’ve had fantastic support from the community and especially from our family,” Phillip said.
Dame Sue said it was her youngest son's idea, initially starting as a “backyard affair, but it just grew”.
“We’re hoping it’s going to be a great family-fun day, but at the same time – raise money for Ukraine and show Ukraine we support them.”
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