Zac Longfield: Family plead for recovery after allegedly king-hit during birthday celebrations

The heartbroken mum of an alleged one-punch victim has made an urgent plea as he remains on life support in a Gold Coast hospital.

Tina Gogerly (right) has rushed to the Gold Coast where her son Zac Longfield, 21, remains in an induced coma after an alleged one-punch attack at Broadbeach. Picture: Facebook

A MAN, still fighting for life after an alleged one-punch assault on the Gold Coast, had been celebrating his 21st birthday at the time, it has been revealed.

Zac Longfield remains in Gold Coast University Hospital on life support, four days after he was allegedly punched in the street at Broadbeach in the early hours of Saturday morning.

He had been waiving off friends in a taxi with his girlfriend after birthday celebrations at his hotel when he was allegedly approached by a group of men and women.

His mother, Tina Gogerly and other family members have since rushed to the Gold Coast from Forster on NSW’s Mid North Coast, to be by his side.

Ms Gogerly said they were “broken” by the incident.

“There hasn’t been a lot change in the scheme of things just a constant roller coaster of ups and downs, scary and positive and unknown,” she said.

Mr Longfield is being kept in an induced coma after suffering “severe” skull and spinal fractures which have caused bleeding and swelling of the brain.

Plans to conduct an MRI today have been delayed as his condition was too “unstable”, Ms Gogerly said.

Zac Longfield, from Forster NSW, had been celebrating his 21st birthday on the Gold Coast. Picture: Go Fund Me

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Family friend April McKay said Mr Longfield was being kept in an induced coma after undergoing surgery “to give him the best chance of survival”.

“He is in this most critical phase of recovery and every moment counts,” she said yesterday.

“This is every parent’s nightmare.”

Ms Gogerly posted an emotional heartfelt message to Facebook in honour of his birthday, urging Mr Longfield to “fight” to recover.

“This is the day I should be posting a massive happy 21st birthday to my first baby Zac, who made me a mumma, and talking about the crazy, naughty, edge of your seat life you live and the roller coaster ride we’ve had with you,” she wrote.

“But instead I’m sitting in the ICU with you on life support.

“Words can’t describe my heart right now and how I just want a cuddle from you … fight this fight like you have every other my boy.”

Police allege Mr Longfield was punched, fell and struck his head, after a group of men and women followed him in Surf Pde about 2.30am.

Two Sydney tourists, Palemi Ahloo, 19, and Sefulutolu Tago, 19, have both been charged and have since been granted bail.

Ahloo was charged with affray and grievous bodily harm, while Tago will face an affray charge.

A GoFund Me page, started by a family friend, has raised almost $16,000 in less than a day for Mr Longfield’s medical costs and his family’s travel expenses.