Rugby fan's heart belongs to Otago

Brian Kenny is presented with an Otago jersey and scarf by Otago players Joe Latta (left) and...
Brian Kenny is presented with an Otago jersey and scarf by Otago players Joe Latta (left) and Peter Breen. Photo by Stephen Jaquiery.
Brian Kenny was given a new Otago rugby jersey and scarf yesterday.

He deserved it.

His last one was ruined after he had a cardiac arrest while watching his beloved Otago rugby side last month.

''Sacrilege,'' he joked about the treatment of his clothing.

Mr Kenny (78), a long-time member of the Otago Rugby Supporters' Club, was in the south stand at Forsyth Barr Stadium on September 21 watching Otago - as he has for nearly 60 years - as it took on the Mooloos (Waikato) in an ITM Cup match.

Suddenly, about eight minutes before halftime, he started feeling crook and his mates beside him noticed his head had gone right back.

They tried to rouse him but without success. They knew something was wrong and looked around for help.

Quickly, a couple of nurses nearby came to Mr Kenny's aid.

With the assistance of others, Mr Kenny was rapidly carried behind the stands.

By then, St John staff were on hand and swung into action.

He was given two shocks from a defibrillator at the stadium to try to get his heart going right again. He was then taken to Dunedin Hospital by ambulance.

Much to Mr Kenny's dismay, the medics were forced to rip his Supporters' Club jersey and the shirt underneath to work on his heart. He was ''shocked'' again at hospital and things were touch-and-go for a while.

He did flat-line at one stage, but he got through it.

As he has said since: ''It was lucky I was at the stadium with the staff there. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here now.''

He is now on the improve and could be out of hospital by the end of next week. But he is missing that jersey.

Yesterday, still in hospital with plenty of ECG sensors stuck on his chest, he received a couple of presents.

Otago lock Joe Latta and utility back Peter Breen delivered an Otago jersey and scarf to Mr Kenny to help cheer him up.

The patient hopes to be back at the stadium, but maybe not this season.

 

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