The news of the passing away of 32-year-old Indian national Zonjo Antony in Auckland has left the community in disbelief.
Antony was found unresponsive at his home in Browns Bay by his closest friend Jayesh Thomas Vaidyan on Monday (November 28) at around 4 pm.
Antony, who originally hails from Thrissur, Kerala, India, leaves behind his wife, Anna, and six-year-old son Leon.
He migrated to New Zealand as a student in September 2019 and studied Health sciences at the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) in Auckland. Only six months back, Anna and Leon joined him in NZ.
Antony was holding a post-study open work visa and worked at The Sands care centre and village as a healthcare assistant.
Talking to the Indian Weekender, Vaidyan said, “I have lost my brother..my best friend… my confidante. I last met him on Sunday (November 27) night at 10:50 pm before he went for his night shift. Everything was absolutely fine. He was everything to me. We saw so many ups and downs in the last three years. I can't believe that he is no more with us.”
As per Vaidyan, Antony returned at 7:30 am on Monday and, as usual, dropped his son to school and his wife to her work.
It was around 3 pm that Anna called Vaidyan as she got a call from Leon's school that no one had come to pick him and Anthony was not picking up her calls.
Says Vaidyan, “It was around 3:50 pm that I reached home after finishing my shift and saw Anthony's car parked in front of the house. I knocked on the door, but no one opened it, and then I went inside and saw him lying in his room upside down. I tried reviving him, but he was not responding, and in the meantime, the ambulances were called, the staff tried to save him but we had lost him."
The postmortem of the deceased is slated to take place tomorrow, and then the actual cause of his death will be ascertained.
Antony's family includes his father, mother and married sister, who are all in India and trying to cope with the loss.
The family wishes to perform his last rites according to Indian culture and customs in India, and the High Commission of India (HCI) is providing full support to the family in this time of grief. The paperwork for the repatriation is being worked on. The High Commission of India has made all the necessary arrangements to help with the repatriation and will bear all costs.
A statement from the HCI read, "HCI came to know about the untimely demise of Mr. Zonjo Antony, an Indian national, who died on 28th November 2022. His wife wishes to repatriate the body to India for final rites.The HCI team is in touch with the wife, conveyed our deepest condolences, and assured all possible assistance to repatriate the mortal remains to India."
The Auckland Malayali Samajam (AMS) – the community group of Malayali people in Auckland- also provides all immediate support to the distraught family.
Blessan M Jose, President AMS, said, “We are all with the family of Anthony at this critical time. It is a tragic loss of a bright young life for the entire Malayali community in NZ. We will do our best to support his family with whatever help they need at this difficult time. We are planning a prayer meeting for him soon and have also started a givealittle page (https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/a-hand-in-time-of-need).”
“I am so thankful to the entire community, including the Auckland Malayali Samajam and the High Commission of India and especially Hon Consul of India in Auckland Bhav Dhillon, for all the support they have extended," said Vaidyan.