KEY POINTS:
The funeral for a man who died from a fall while walking home from the Beckham soccer match in Wellington on Saturday night, will be held in Napier tomorrow.
Michael Webby fell 20m after he slipped through a gap in the railing near Wellington's Botanic Gardens.
The 29-year-old died in the arms of his girlfriend, Hilary Sutherland, Hawke's Bay Today reported.
Mr Webby's father, John Webby, said his son was trying to stand up after slipping on an unlit part of the path the couple had climbed on their way home from spending Saturday night in a corporate box for LA Galaxy match against Wellington Phoenix at Westpac Stadium.
The gap in the rail through which he then fell backwards was barely a metre wide, and the only gap in the rail, John Webby said.
The couple had spent about two years in London before returning to New Zealand in February to live in Wellington, where Michael took up a job with Strategic Finance and Ms Sutherland worked for the Ministry of Justice.
"They were both doing really well - at the top of their game," he said.
In Wellington both had become fans of the stadium events, initially for rugby, but more recently A-league soccer games .
Tomorrow's funeral will be held at St Patrick's Catholic Church in Napier.
- NZPA WGT
