23-05-2025
Cooper, 9, conquers heights challenge
Cooper Newbury "chickened out" last year.
The 9-year-old got all the way up to the roof of Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium to abseil down to the field below, but his fear of heights got the better of him.
"I'm really scared of heights and I chickened out. It's probably the scaredest I've ever been.
"So I just walked away. They tried to stop me, but I just couldn't do it."
A few minutes later, he saw his friend go through with the challenge, and it left him with pangs of regret he had let his fears get in the way of reaching his goal.
"I thought, if he can do it, I can do it."
And this year, he threw caution to the wind and finally stepped off the edge.
However, his rope got tangled halfway down and he got stuck.
"I was just confused about why I wasn't moving. I was thinking, 'Damn it, I knew I shouldn't have done this'."
Despite the complication — and emboldened by adrenaline coursing through his veins — he said he would definitely do it again and recommended everyone should do it.
"Don't be put off by being scared.
"Once you get off that ledge, there's no turning back, and the only way to go is down."
He said it was good to step outside his comfort zone because it had given him confidence to explore new experiences and challenges.
"You've got to do some scary things in life sometimes."
Cooper was one of dozens of local business and community leaders who abseiled the 35m from the upper service gantry at the stadium yesterday to raise funds for Southern Youth Development (formerly Malcam Trust).
The media-savvy primary schooler said he had been attending youth development programmes to help him realise his goal of opening a food truck in Dunedin.
"I want to make make my own food — like hot dogs, hot chips, burgers, pies and some drinks, and sell them from a truck."
Ultimately, he hoped to save the profits and open his own cafe.
Why?
"Because I like looking at food, I like cooking food and I like eating food."
Simple as that.
His mum, Jo Fletcher, said part of Cooper's goal was to bring people in his community together, and food was a good way to do it.
"And he really does love food.
"He makes bacon and eggs for breakfast for us a lot — not just on Mother's Day."
Asked if she would work for him when he opens his cafe, she said: "I think he'd be a hard boss, but I'd definitely work for him".
One of the benefits would be nominating him for Toss the Boss, she said.
