WARNING: Graphic image below.

A long-time newspaper delivery man is recovering in hospital, after being attacked by a stranger while waiting to begin his morning paper route in the Comox Valley.

The man, who has only been identified by family as Bob, was attacked early Wednesday morning. According to RCMP, he was inside his parked vehicle in downtown Comox at about 4:15 a.m. when he was approached by a man on a bicycle who asked him for a cigarette.

When Bob told the man he did not have any, the man assaulted him with what appeared to be a machete, police said.

Friends who have since started a for Bob said he received multiple slashes to his face, and was rushed to hospital for surgery. The page had raised more than $9,000 in just 12 hours, as of Thursday morning.

sa国际传媒淗e has multiple other wounds from fighting off his attacker,sa国际传媒� the fundraising page reads. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 absolutely unreal that a human being could do this to another.sa国际传媒�

Raymond Corbett, a friend of Bobs who visited him in the hospital Wednesday morning, shared a photo of Bobsa国际传媒檚 injuries to Facebook, in hopes that the assailant is found by police.

Isa国际传媒檓 almost speechless, but have to share,sa国际传媒� Corbett said. sa国际传媒淭his is the closest person I have to a grandfather we call him grampa [sic] Bob.sa国际传媒�

According to Corbett, Bob and his late partner has delivered local papers in the area for years.

sa国际传媒淢y heart is broken thinking someone could do such a thing to another human person,sa国际传媒� Corbett said on his Facebook page. sa国际传媒淧lease share this I want this person caught he is in his 20sa国际传媒檚 riding a bike thatsa国际传媒檚 all I know as of now. There were other people around that seen this individual before this happened .sa国际传媒�

Anyone with information is asked to call the Comox Valley RCMP.

Like us on and follow us on .