Long-serving Max proves his old teacher wrong

Max Armstrong and his mother Maureen celebrate his 60th birthday at Masport's Mt Wellington assembly line yesterday. Picture / Brett Phibbs

A childhood stammer meant Max Armstrong faced a struggle when he left school more than 40 years ago.

In one of his reports, a teacher wrote: "This child will have trouble finding work."

But one company gave him a chance. Yesterday, Mr Armstrong celebrated his 60th birthday at Masport, or Mason & Porter as it was known when he started there.

Now in his 42nd year with the firm, he has gone from cleaning floors to working on the assembly of Masport's flagship lawnmowers. His supervisor of 20 years, Don Sinclair, said Mr Armstrong had proven more reliable than the average worker.

"He comes to work every day. I can't say the same for some of the other workers. Max is very conscientious."

Mr Armstrong's 82-year-old mother, Maureen, said her son was just one example of what people with disabilities could do, if only they were given a chance.

Max suffered a series of convulsions as a baby, and Mrs Armstrong thinks the lack of oxygen caused some brain damage, which particularly affected his speech.

"He's got it in here," she said, gesturing to her forehead, "but he has difficulty getting it out."

But prejudice was rife in the schools of the day.

"They reckoned all he'd be fit for was sweeping the streets."

For the past 42 years, Mr Armstrong has been leaving the Mt Wellington home he shares with his mother for the short stroll to Masport's lawnmower assembly line.

Mrs Armstrong said faith and belief got the family through.

"Mainly it's thanks to God, and to the people here, but it's also thanks to Max. He's been through hell sometimes, but he's worked hard."

For Mr Armstrong, Masport has been like home: "Every person here has been fantastic."

Yesterday, he was greeted in the morning with a chocolate-iced cake the size of a table, shared among his many colleagues.

But even if it was his birthday, it was no day off.

"Of course I'm going back to work. I'm not having a day off. Someone's got to do this job."