Kath Masē has been training for the half triathlon on her home patch at Pataua. Photo / Tania Whyte
Kath Masē has been training for the half triathlon on her home patch at Pataua. Photo / Tania Whyte
Kath Masē has fond memories of co-worker Brandon's face at the window as he waved to her every morning when she arrived at work. And then one day he was gone.
Brandon Edwardson, a 27-year-old father and youth worker team leader, is believed to have taken his own life earlierthis year and now Masē is training to undergo a half triathlon challenge in his honour.
"It was a complete shock," says the 49-year-old mother of three. "We shared an office and had lots of laughs. That Tuesday was just a normal day. He left and said 'see ya' and off he went. I got the call the next day and just assumed it was from natural causes. I never dreamt in a million years he would take his own life. It was so out of the blue."
She recalled Edwardson talking of how he had partaken in the Napier-based half IronMāori challenge and so she decided to train to participate in this year's event in his memory.
Brandon Edwardson had a way of connecting with youth and was passionate about his youth work. Kath had shirts printed for the triathlon she is undertaking in his memory. Photo / Tania Whyte
Although Masē has undertaken half marathons and a marathon in the past, she needed swimming lessons to enable her to take on the 2km ocean swim, which is the equivalent of 80 pool lengths.
"I have never done a triathlon before and have had to learn how to swim properly which has been challenging," she said. "My first ocean swim I did, I came pretty close to hypothermia. It was an incoming tide but it took longer and the tide turned to an outgoing. I also realised I'd need a full wet suit by the time I came in. I was pretty blue apparently."
The December 5 event involves a 21.1km run, a 90km cycle and 2km ocean swim for those undertaking the half challenge.
There is also the option of the quarter triathlon, which is being undertaken by a group of Northland youth through Coast to Coast Mentoring with help from fundraising by Masē.
Coast to Coast Mentoring is a new Whangārei-based company running programmes throughout Northland dedicated to helping others navigate their journey through life. It is especially aimed at young people who may not have the best support systems in their households or who may have gone down a negative pathway.
The company is currently running a programme in Kaitaia to support youth not in education, training or employment, to find a pathway that fits with their life passions and they will be the recipients of Masē's fundraising.
Said Masē: "All I knew was I wanted to raise some funds for something that Brandon would love and support."
Coast to Coast Mentoring owner/operator and director James Thompson said two teams from the Kaitaia programme were currently training toward the triathlon.
"Kath approached me a few weeks ago about an idea she had to complete the IronMāori while raising funds on behalf of Brandon and she asked if she could raise funds to go towards our new company Coast to Coast Mentoring. I was extremely taken back and honoured by the idea and it was a coincidence that the youth on our Kaitaia programme had identified the IronMāori as an event they wanted to participate and compete in that would push themselves outside of their comfort zones."
Thompson said there were eight 15-17-year-olds on the programme and two teams of three, comprising both male and female, were taking part with a support crew of two. They would swim 1km, bike 45km and run 10km.
"Our youth have learnt so much already while training for the IronMāori; learning nutrition, managing emotions, a daily routine that sees a mixture of gym, biking, swimming and running with some 6am starts, where most of these young people were previously getting up around lunch time. Working as a team has been a large part of this as well."
Kath Masē will be cycling 90km as part of the half triathlon in former co-worker Brandon's memory. Photo / Tania Whyte
Thompson said he had previously worked with Masē running youth programmes and knew she had a "heart of gold".
"I also met Brandon while he was supporting our programmes with drug-testing, I remember a time in Kaikohe where youth did not want to be drug-tested and Brandon gave a speech about who he was and his why for what he did. He really connected with everyone in the room. All youth who were there that day agreed to be drug-tested after Brandon's speech."
Edwardson, whose death is being investigated by the Coroner, was passionate about youth work and making a difference in young lives within the community. He had just been promoted to operations manager and Masē said there were no signs of his inner turmoil. She said his passing had a huge effect on her and she has had shirts with his name and photo printed for the event.
"I've been around suicide before but never this close. I didn't realise the impact it had on so many people, the ripple effect."
# Coast to Coast Mentoring is hoping to send vulnerable youth to the IronMāori event every year. If you would like to support them, donations can be made at givealittle.co.nz/cause/ironmaori-for-brandon
