A survivor of the Christchurch mosque shootings is counting down the days until his brother from Turkey is out of isolation.
He wants him at his side to support him at the gunman's sentencing next week.
Next Tuesday Temel Atacocugu, 45, will have his fifth surgery to repair one of the nine bullet wounds he received as he prayed at Al Noor Mosque on March 15 last year.
"They will close the big hole on my shoulder," he explained.
Before that happens, the Christchurch kebab shop owner will face the man who inflicted the life-threatening injuries in the Christchurch High Court. Temel and 65 others will deliver their victim impact statements at the gunman's sentencing.
"I want to show the terrorist [that] he didn't divide us," Temel told Newshub. "He made us stronger than before."
At Temel's side will be younger brother Murat, one of 47 granted special exemption to enter New Zealand for the sentencing. Murat flew 16,500km from Turkey and is in isolation in Auckland.
"He has never complained about it [and] said, 'Don't worry about it, I'm going to be here to support you and be next to you on that day'," Temel said.
"It's made me feel less nervous - mentally [it's] made me happy that he will be here with me to look after me."
Murat arrives in Christchurch on Saturday - 48 hours before the sentencing starts.
