Deprived of playing the game of rugby that he loves, 15-year-old Te Aorangi Clarke recently took on a different type of challenge thanks to Satan’s Little Helper — conquering the biggest rides at Rainbow’s End.
Last year, Te Aorangi was diagnosed with epilepsy. He suffers seizures when he’s sleeping that take their toll physically and mentally, which in turn affects him at school. The dangers of the condition have prevented him from playing rugby, where he enjoyed success as part of his school’s first XV. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, Te Aorangi stayed positive and has since channelled his time and effort into volunteering with his little brother Cody at his local church and with the Salvation Army. Both boys even spent their school holidays rising early in the morning to help with food bank collections, because they enjoy giving back to their community. To reward Te Aorangi, Satan’s Little Helper treated him and his brother to a day of adrenaline and challenges at Rainbow’s End. Once there, the two boys wasted no time getting stuck in and jumped on every ride they could. “They loved it,” said their mum Gwendoline. “We are so thankful for the opportunity to do this with all that Te Aorangi’s been through. Being in and out of hospital for months on end and then being told to give up the only thing he loved made it very difficult.” “The more extreme rides gave Te Aorangi a sense of confidence,” she said. “He has been tentative and afraid to do things by himself without feeling tired or anxious, so tackling the bigger rides showed him he’s still capable of anything.”
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