Tributes for Jayden Broome, 19, have been coming in since he fell two storeys off a roof in Dunedin’s student quarter on Monday night.
On Wednesday, Jayden’s father Darren told the Otago Daily Times his son had been put into a medically induced coma in Christchurch Hospital.
He declined to give an update on his son’s condition yesterday, but said he remained at Jayden’s bedside.
Mr Broome said he and the rest of Jayden’s family felt moved by the outpouring of support for the teenager.
"He’s a pretty popular boy," he said.
"He’s lucky to be alive."
Well wishes for Jayden from his club, university and those who grew up with him in Gore came online over the past two days.
The talented rugby player was a student of the University of Otago and played for the university club, as well as for Southland.
The Otago University Rugby Football Club posted on social media sending prayers to Jayden and his family.
The post said Jayden was a proud member of their community, an even prouder Southlander and a great man with a huge heart.
"We ... trust his fight and heart gets him through," the post said.
They shared a link to a crowdfunding page for Jayden that had by 8pm last night raised $40,281.
The day before the accident, the student had returned from Christchurch after captaining the Southland under-19 team in a tournament.
After returning to Dunedin on Monday, the team had gone to a flat, known as "Big Red", and started drinking, a friend told the Otago Daily Times.
Most of the people who were at the gathering stayed inside, while a few went to the roof to take photos.
Jayden played as a loose forward for University A in the Dunedin premier rugby competition this season and played for the senior Southland in July in a preseason game.
He also made the New Zealand Maori under-18 team last year while at Māruawai College in Gore.
