Polly Gillespie reacts to Jonah Lomu's death: 'My heart is smashed'

Opinion

The Hits radio presenter Polly Gillespie has penned an emotional tribute to Jonah Lomu who received a kidney from her husband Grant Kereama in 2004.

Here is what she wrote on social media:

My heart is smashed..

I don't know what to do with my aching heart. I don't want to answer the phone. I can't believe it's true. So many times there have been stupid rumours that "Jonah has died", and they were just horrible tasteless lies.

But this is not a hoax, oh God that it was.

One of my best friends is gone. Jonah, who would talk to me about everything from Versace dinnerware to silly drinking games, has gone.

Jonah stood up for me like a big brother. He stayed with us for months and we'd talk and hoon around and laugh, and always watch Antiques Roadshow.

One thing about my boy is he had great taste in women, and through the years I became friends with the lovely Teina, the indomitable Fiona, and the ever-loving Nadene.

Jonah I'm going to miss your calls from all the strangest places in the world. I'll miss telling you off, and telling you the truth when no-one else will do it.

I'll miss your big hands describing the cool things you've seen, and the quiet dignified way you handled, fans, foes and your illness.

Jonah, I miss you arriving in the middle of the night with a big feed and presents for the kids (far too generous). I'll miss the way you always called me Miss Polly, and would come into the lounge, lie on my couch and immediately go into a deep sleep for hours. It was the magic couch eh J-Lo?

Grant and I loved you like our own brother, and life without you already hurts so badly. I can't stop crying. I can't stop wishing I could have somehow done something. I'm going to miss you like a naughty little brother. Oh Jonah ...what are we to do without you? I still have half of your stuff stored in your room at our house.

You were more than the world's greatest to me. You were just my friend, and I miss my friend.

Jonah I love and miss you, and my heart is breaking . . .