Since his death, stories of Daly's generosity and dedication as a teacher have emerged.
"He walked past me and said, 'Oh, your shoes are ripped and you've got tape around it'. He pulled $40 out of his wallet and gave it to me," former student Okusitino Paseka told the Herald.
Daly was admitted to hospital on his first wedding anniversary last month after a fall at home.
His wife, Sarah, who was in Australia at the time of his accident, rushed to secure a spot in New Zealand MIQ after learning of the accident. She was in managed isolation as Daly fought for his life in hospital.
Daly ran the school's table tennis club and if the boys won a game, he would shout them McDonald's.
Chris loved his job at Kelston Boys' High School as a physics teacher. Photo / Supplied
"Some boys said he was the glue that kept the school together. Other boys talked about him being a father figure. He had such a good way of teaching. He could boil down a topic like physics and make it into a relevant context for them that they could understand.
"If they needed a bus fare, if they needed lunch, Daly always put his hand in his pocket and helped them out. He looked at the whole child, not just their academic results."
Daly was buried at the family's tūrangawaewae, Great Barrier Island, next to his beloved nana Betty Daly and other whānau at the Gooseberry Flat Cemetery.
The students made badges for Daly's family and wore them at his funeral.
The badges had a photo of Daly and the words: "Your wings were ready but my heart was not."
