Maiaorere Turner gives him mum Karen a cheeky kiss on the cheek. While he is not able to speak in sentences, he is still able to express himself. Photo / Denise Piper
Maiaorere Turner gives him mum Karen a cheeky kiss on the cheek. While he is not able to speak in sentences, he is still able to express himself. Photo / Denise Piper
A Northland teenager who suffered from meningitis has defied the odds by recovering to the point where he can walk and express himself, when doctors had previously warned he might be left unable to move.
Now Maiaorere Turner’s whānau is trying to raise $35,000 to concrete their rural driveway so the 16-year-old can safely get in and out of the house.
The steep metalled driveway at their Hokianga home was never an issue before Maiaorere contracted meningitis in 2022, his mum Karen Turner said.
Maiaorere, then 14, and his two sisters were always active and loved dive-bombing off Ōpononi Wharf.
But in June 2022, Maiaorere became unwell with extreme headaches. His whānau took him to Hokianga Hospital, where the doctor requested an emergency helicopter to take him to Starship Children’s Hospital.
While Maiaorere was fighting for his life, the helicopter was diverted to the scene of a crash in Whakatāne, meaning he did not get to Starship until nearly eight hours after he first presented at Hokianga Hospital, Turner said.
He spent a long 25 days in paediatric ICU and a further 30 days at Starship’s neuroservices ward, plus several months in an Auckland rehabilitation centre, with his father Jamie staying by his side, Turner said.
“The doctors said he would not be able to walk or talk, and, ‘Don’t be surprised if he comes out and isn’t reacting and responding to you’.”
But soon after Maiaorere returned home, in December 2022, he suddenly stood up when he had previously needed a hoist, Turner said.
“He couldn’t really move and his face was quite blunted, but out of the blue he started laughing and cracking the code on his phone.”
Maiaorere Turner, like many 16-year-olds, is keen on gaming and proud he has made it to level 350 on Call of Duty: Mobile. Photo / Denise Piper
Maiaorere has progressed more from those early days. While he still can’t talk – he is only able to say “yeah” – he is able to express himself with facial expressions, noises and thumb signals.
When the Northern Advocate visited, Maiaorere was proud to show off how well he was doing with Call of Duty: Mobile, having reached level 350.
Like many teenagers, he is not so keen on going back to school, despite his older sister being his teacher aide.
Maiaorere still has limited mobility and no peripheral vision but is able to slowly walk with help, Turner said.
His condition meant the Turners had to make extensive changes to their small house, including installing an accessible shower, ramps, new closed-in decks and cabins to accommodate the five of them, she said.
Due to the house being built on communally owned Māori land, they were unable to get a standard mortgage and could only get a more limited Kāinga Whenua Home Loan.
Jamie, Maiaorere and Karen Turner would like to concrete their gravel drive to make it easier for the 16-year-old to get around. Photo / Denise Piper
Their savings and the loan were quickly eaten up by rising costs for the renovations, including skyrocketing prices for timber, Turner said.
While she works fulltime as a mental health nurse, Jamie stays home to look after their son fulltime, which means they are struggling to get ahead.
“We borrowed the maximum we were allowed to borrow ... I was working extra shifts, but now I’m just exhausted.”
The couple paid for the renovations to the house but were unable to afford concreting of their metalled driveway, which means Maiaorere is often stumbling and losing his balance on the gravel.
Despite the difficulty of asking for help, Turner decided to set up a Givealittle page where people can donate to their cause.
The page has been well-received, with more than $20,000 donated so far.
“We’re really humbled by that – that people are quite giving,” Turner said. “It’s something that I’m not really used to, asking for help.”
The whānau are hoping to cover the $35,000 cost of concreting the driveway so Maiaorere is able to get out to the letterbox and back, and safely get into a car.
If any funds are left over, they will be used to concrete in parallel bars for physical therapy, so he can improve his walking skills, plus a car port to provide some shelter when it rains.
Meanwhile, the close-knit whānau are just enjoying all the little kisses and hugs they can have with each other, knowing how precious life is.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years’ experience in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
