Anxious Chiefs rugby officials were also waiting at Hamilton International Airport as he landed at 6.15pm.
Stawbridge was earlier today sedated and deemed stable enough to travel home to be treated for an infection in his right eye which has rapidly deteriorated over the past three days.
His plane had travelled via Tonga.
An ambulance was waiting on the tarmac to transfer him to Waikato Hospital.
About half a dozen St John Ambulance staff helped transfer Strawbridge on to a stretcher and into the waiting ambulance.
He was joining the Manu Samoa campaign as a technical advisor for Manu Samoa for the All Blacks test and was due to leave with the squad on Monday for the Pacific Nations Cup in the United States and Canada.
However, he took ill on Tuesday and an urgent call was put out for blood donors.
The message got through to a hotel where West Coast man Ross Wylde was enjoying a drink, One News reported.
Medical staff were looking for donations of Type O-negative blood, which Mr Wylde has.
He immediately switched to drinking coffee and water, and was later picked up by a doctor to donate his blood.
Mr Wylde said he was a registered blood donor so had no hesitation in helping out.
"Not at all, that's why we do it," he said.
Strawbridge's wife Laura and sister Susan Strawbridge earlier joined him in Samoa.
The family has again expressed gratitude for the care and support that has been shown to Andrew and his family from the medical team at Moto'otua Hospital, the Manu Samoa aiga and the New Zealand rugby community.
Laura Strawbridge said she was "overwhelmed by the support we are continuing to receive in both Samoa and New Zealand.
"The kindness shown to us, and the offers of support, has been incredible. We want to thank everyone for their much needed thoughts and kind wishes at this extremely difficult time."
The family has asked for privacy at this time.
Chiefs rugby board chairman Dallas Fisher and Chief executive Andrew Flexman were on hand to see Strawbridge transferred.
Mr Fisher said the Chiefs were grateful for all the care and support carried out by medical staff in Samoa.
"We're extremely thankful for what Manu Samoa and the hospital have done over there," Mr Fisher told the Herald as the plane came in to land.
Relatives of Strawbridge are also at the airport, watching developments from a vehicle, but with an obscured view of the transfer.
