When Willie Tonihi didn't return home from his daily bike around town by 6pm, his nephew knew something wasn't quite right so gave him a call.
A police officer answered the phone and broke the news to him that his uncle had been found dead on a central Rotorua street.
Mr Tonihi, 57, was found unresponsive by a member of the public just after 5pm on Sunday on Haupapa St.
Read more: Man found dead in Rotorua's central city
St John paramedics performed CPR on him for about 30 minutes before he was declared dead.