He Refused to Give Up for Five Years… But the Bru-tal At-tack Finally Cl-a-imed His Life
A BRIT who lost half his skull after being thrown down a flight of stairs in a brutal bar attack in New Zealand has died following a five-year battle.
Josh Storer, 30, suffered catastrophic brain injuries after he was attacked at the Albany Bar and Restaurant in Auckland in 2021.
Josh Storer has died five years after losing half his skull in a horrific accidentCredit: Facebook
His family confirmed that he had passed away in his sleepCredit: Facebook
The assault left him in a coma for two weeks and requiring round-the-clock care.
Josh underwent two lifesaving operations, including one to remove a large section of his skull to relieve pressure on his brain.
For months, only skin and a protective helmet shielded his brain before surgeons were able to fit an artificial skull plate.
Five years later, his family revealed the tragic news that Josh had died in his sleep.
His heartbroken mother, Dawn, said the family were devastated by the loss.
In the aftermath of the attack, Josh’s parents, Dawn and Ian, and his sister, Sian, faced a desperate battle to reach his bedside.
New Zealand‘s borders were closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, with entry restricted to citizens and permanent residents.
The family were eventually granted an exemption after officials ruled their circumstances met the country’s “high threshold” for entry.
Once he was well enough to travel, Josh returned to the UK to continue his long rehabilitation.
The attack left him with permanent damage to his frontal lobe – the area of the brain responsible for emotion, reasoning and impulse control.
His father Ian said the injuries caused severe mood swings, with Josh sometimes appearing perfectly normal before suddenly behaving like a child.
He also spent time in a mental health unit as he struggled with the lasting effects of his injuries.
Living independently was impossible without support, and Josh relied on a care team and regular visits from specialist brain injury services.
Dawn previously said: “It really upsets him because he remembers who he was and who he is now, but he’s not the same. He’s so different.”
The man, 57, who assaulted Josh was sentenced in 2022 to two years and five months in prison after being convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to injure.
The trauma also took a heavy toll on Josh’s family.
Ian was unable to work for weeks after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Josh had moved to New Zealand on a working visa in April 2018 and had hoped to rebuild his life there after recovering.
Speaking after returning to Britain, he said he still dreamed of one day going back.
He said: “Unfortunately, what happened has left me with no choice but to return to the UK. I need to focus on my recovery, get my fitness back on track and get back to work. Then, maybe in two and a half years, I could come back to New Zealand. I’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
