Missing Kiwi cameraman remembered as “exceptional” and “sweetest” person
A top New Zealand cameraman has been remembered as the “sweetest” and an “exceptional” colleague after he was found dead several days after disappearing.
Jason Day, who formerly worked for New Zealand’s TVNZ, was last seen on Saturday, April 30 in the British city of Bristol, where he was living with Kelsey Mulcahy, his partner of five years.
Just three days later, Mr Day’s next of kin were informed by police that they located a body at Avon Gorge, as reported by 7News.
“While formal identification has not yet taken place, we have updated the family of missing 31-year-old Joseph Day,” Avon and Somerset police said in a statement.
“Our hearts go out to them and we thank them for their patience while inquiries into the circumstances of death continue.
“We’d ask the public to avoid speculation and respect the privacy of Joseph’s family at this time.”
Mr Day and his partner were engaged and reportedly planning to return to New Zealand to tie the knot at the end of the year.
Ms Mulcahy last spoke to her fiancé on the same night he disappeared, with her last text reminding him to pull the blinds down at home before going to bed.
“My last message to him was reminding him to pull down the blackout blinds because he always forgets and it’s light so long in the UK now,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
“His reply was ‘will do’ and then he stopped responding but before that we were talking about how we were going to go to London in three weeks.
“We just adore each other, we have not had problems in our relationship and I would be truly honest if we did.”
When she arrived home the next afternoon, she said she panicked after discovering he wasn’t home and the grocery box that had been delivered to them was still outside.
“I ran upstairs and the bed was made and the blinds were open and everything was shut up,” she said.
After his disappearance, Ms Mulcahy took to social media asking for any help locating him, writing: “This is extremely out of character for him, we always keep in touch every minute of the day.
“Everyone who knows Joe loves him very much, he is incredibly special to me, and his family and friends.”
Speaking to NZ Herald, she said her partner had planned to have “a really nice night in” with the apartment all to himself.
“It’s hard because there are so many people that love him in New Zealand, his family and all of his friends adore him - he’s just the sweetest, nicest guy ever,” she told the publication.
Mr Day’s colleagues have echoed the same sentiments in their tributes to the cameraman, describing him as “exceptional”, “loyal” and “humble”.
“He had the ability to capture angles, lights and moments that added so much beauty to each story. He was loyal and honourable,” TVNZ current affairs reporter Maca Moayyed wrote on Twitter.
“When we would go out on shoots, the people we were filming adored him. He was humble, hardworking, but work wasn’t his life.
“It was clear how much he loved his family and his fiancée. My heart is broken for them. Rest in peace, Joe.”
Correspondent Mark Crystall wrote: “Absolutely devastated to hear of Joe Day’s passing.
“Joe like his dad, Pete, was a much loved member of our SundayTVNZ whanau - his beautiful eye & deep soul became pictures that lifted our stories to another level.
“Our deepest sympathies & love to Pete & mum, Feloani.”
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