Paul Andrews - Ernie to those who knew and loved him - was a devoted grandfather, a loving dad, a well-respected mechanic, and the kind of person who would help "every single person that ever needs it".
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Tragically, the Mount Kembla man's life was cut short when he died on May 1, almost three weeks after he was allegedly assaulted at the Unanderra Hotel while out celebrating his best friend's birthday.
He was 60 years old.
But his eldest son Brett is holding onto the fact that he and his family enjoyed another several years with Ernie that they almost never had.
Mr Andrews recalled that his dad was so terribly injured in an accident eight years ago that there was a very real chance he would not survive.
It was a watershed moment for the family: Ernie's near-death experience led to the healing of family rifts.
Mr Andrews said it felt like his father had gotten a second chance after his accident years ago, giving him the opportunity to meet his grandson and enjoy strong relationships with his sons.
"Everything was resolved... he's died what I would say happy, where if he had died before he would have not been happy, he would have been a tortured soul for sure," Mr Andrews said.
"That's probably what I hold onto more than anything through this whole thing."
Ernie grew up in Wollongong, the son of Cliff and Yvonne and brother to Mark.
He attended to Figtree High School, where he met the girl who would become his wife, Anita.
The pair separated some time ago but she was still at his bedside when he died.
His nickname Ernie derived from his relationship with his lifelong best mate, Brett - the pair were called Bert and Ernie, in reference to the famous Sesame Street duo.
Ernie was only in his early 20s and a new father when he bought his boss' business after his employer suffered a heart attack, which became Paul Andrews Auto Repairs.
Such was the regard in which he was held, Mr Andrews said many customers had reached out since Ernie's death to ask what they could do.
"His customers loved him and you know, I think lots of them are shocked that it's happened too," he said.
Ernie was also "the best father".
"Me and my brother wanted to water ski, [he] bought a caravan down the coast, bought a speed boat," Mr Andrews said.
"We got over doing that, we wanted to race go-karts. He bought go-kart trailers, everything like that."
When Mr Andrews and his brother were at school and their friends started driving, their dad would fix up cars and sell them to them cheaply.
"I remember when we used to race go-karts... they have to push you off, and I'd be sitting there and I'd be ready to go, and I'd be looking around and like 'Where's my father?'" he said.
"Because he was fixing some other kid's go-kart to make sure they could get into the race and I was like, 'That's my competition, Dad, you're not supposed to be helping them'.
"But that's just the person he was, it's always like that. He's always helping, always doing the right thing."
Mr Andrews said his father loved his border collie, Chaz.
One of the great joys of Ernie's life was becoming a grandfather to Jamie and his partner Scott's son Asher, now two.
"There were only two things Dad ever wanted in his life, and he always mentioned them: grandkids, and to pay his mortgage off," Mr Andrews said.
"He got one and not the other."
One of the troubles the family has faced since Ernie's death is getting the awful news out to everyone because he had so many varied friendship groups, from his school days to go-karting to the period he rode a Harley.
Ernie died surrounded by some of the people he loved most after his life support was turned off.
Neither Ernie nor his son were religious, but Mr Andrews said that at the moment he died the sun came out and shone across his bed.
"I try to look at the positive side, that we actually did get eight more years with my father than maybe we were meant to get, and that he didn't suffer - lots of people suffer in the end of their days," Mr Andrews said.
Paul 'Ernie' Andrews will be farewelled at a funeral service at Hansen and Cole in Kembla Grange at 2pm on Friday, May 10. A celebration of Ernie's life will follow at the Figtree Hotel.
There is also an online fundraiser collecting donations to assist with the cost of the funeral and related expenses at gofundme.com/f/paul-ernie-andrews.
Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
