Please help Paul on his Road to Recovery

In the early hours of Sunday 10th April 2016 Paul Margison and a friend were viciously attacked while walking home from the Papatoetoe Softball Club. This random attack resulted in both Paul and his friend being knocked unconscious. When his friend came to, he found Paul unresponsive. Paul proceeded to be transferred to Auckland Hospital critically injured with a severe brain injury, where he initially spent many days unconscious in intensive care. He has been slowly waking up, and is now starting to embark on his long road to rehabilitation and recovery.

This page has been set up to help a man that has spent his life doing things for others, and who lived and breathed football and sport. Over the years Paul has consistently given up his spare time to coach a huge number of football teams - including womens, mens and childrens teams from Papatoetoe, Clendon, Onehunga Sports and Otahuhu Football clubs just to name a few. Often he would coach multiple teams in one season, spending almost every night and all weekend on a football field, somehow even finding time to play footy himself for Papatoetoe, as well as tennis and softball in the summer. He would often put his own personal funds towards training gear and even soccer boots for players in his teams.

For many players he has been the only coach they have known, and his laid back, dedicated, humorous, and selfless attitude is what keeps his players coming back to play with him year after year, such as the Clendon Cats Women's Football team, who he has been with for 10 years. Paul is not just a coach to many of these players, but also a part of their family.

As one player quoted when describing how humble Paul is:

"Kaore te kumara e korero mo tona ake reka - The kumara does not say how sweet he is"

Paul has two loving children Jay and Kendall that live in Palmerston North and have had to travel to Auckland to support Paul. Paul also lives with and cares for his Mother in Papatoetoe. Some of the money fundraised will go towards Paul's family to assist with costs such as flights, so that they can continue to support him in this tough time.

The money raised will also go towards any rehabilitation or living costs or equipment needs that are unfunded by other sources. Paul has always been such a fit and active person, evidenced by the sports he is still playing even though he is now aged in his 50's. His job as a Fed-Ex driver is also very active. This makes the physical challenges ahead for Paul even more difficult to face. We hope that this money raised can make Paul's journey towards recovery that little bit easier for him and his family.