Tonight on Close Up ` he climbed on to a roof to fetch his ball; it nearly cost him his life. It is a miracle. Many take it for granted, but the gift of hair can change a life. To have a wig means that you're normal ` every day, you're normal. And the woman providing a green Christmas ` legal green, we're talking. Due to the live nature of Close Up, captions for some items may be incomplete. ONE News captions by Conor Whitten and Virginia Philp. Close Up captions by John Ling and Lauren Strain. You might expect a game of footie amongst brothers to end in a scrap now and again, maybe a few bruises. You don't expect it end in ICU. But that's what happened to the Mata family, after the most extraordinary accident. Mark Crysell has the story. The Matas are not your average nuclear family. 13 children? > Yes. That's a lot to keep an eye on. > I know. They like their sport, can take a hard knock, but six months ago... My mum kept on asking us, 'Where's Andrew and Joshua?' My mum kept on asking us, 'Where's Andrew and Joshua?' We go, 'Oh, they're outside playing kicks.' Joshua was 14. This is older brother Andrew. I accidentally kicked the ball, and it went up on the roof. Up on the roof of a South Auckland engineering workshop. Joshua took off to get his ball. He was already on the roof when... like, he went around, and I saw him He was already on the roof when... like, he went around, and I saw him and then, uh, then he chucked the ball down. And then I waited, and he didn't come down. Joshua was missing. Andrew went inside and told his mum. 'Where's Joshua?' Like, 'Yeah, he's outside.' And then, yeah, it got to the point when my mum was really pissed off, and she told us to go look. How frightened were you? > I... (SIGHS) you know, I had no words at that time. To be honest, I have no words at all, and I said, 'Lord help me.' you know, I had no words at that time. To be honest, I have no words at all, and I said, 'Lord help me.' They searched for half an hour and ended up climbing back on top of the workshop. There was a hole in the roof. I saw all the, um, pieces of metal that were sticking up. They'd just been cut, um, into angles. I said, 'Calm down. I don't want any of you to be` to keep, uh, to be crying any more. 'I want you to go inside the bedroom and pray.' I called the ambulance and, um, yeah, I was talking to the ambulance and calling his name at the same time, just to make sure he was all right. Tom Hyland of St John Ambulance was dispatched. A 14-year-old had fallen through a factory roof. Initially we were quite concerned, uh, noticing that it was a factory and quite high. I was scared. I was really scared. Cos, you know, um, it would be really hard for us if one of our family was gone. Medically, at this point, speed was everything. The ambulance drivers smashed through the locked door, setting off the alarms. We just looked up at the ceiling, at the ragged parts of the roof, and managed to find a hole. Directly under that hole, we found him crumpled up. Joshua had fallen hard. He was status one ` meaning his injuries were life-threatening. I assumed that he'd landed half on a table ` a steel table ` and then the concrete factory floor. Just wondering if he was going to make it. Yeah. We cried, like, cos his hand was, like, bended and his bone sticked out. And it looked really disgusting, and he looked... he looked like he was gone. Did you think he would live? No. RADIO CHATTER, SIREN WAILS He did. So, Joshua, you're alive? > Yes. Can you believe it? > Not really. Joshua spent seven weeks in hospital, much of it in intensive care. Doctors cut this open so they could put metal in to hold my bones together. But he can't remember a thing. The second to last day down in the ICU, that's all I can remember. The last day was three days before the accident happened. His arm's still a bit munted, but he still gets out and plays footy with the other 12 even though he's not meant to. They don't go any easier on him. If it wasn't for God, um, we would be, like, probably just be thinking about the memories that we had with him. Yes, definitely, it is a miracle. It is a miracle. I don't know many cases I've been to where someone's fallen that` that high and survived. And, just yesterday, we took Tom to see Joshua. Hey, Joshua. Joshua, this is Tom. This is the guy that, um, pulled you out. How are you doing? Are you all right? Yeah. Yeah. How's the recovery? Uh, still recovering on my right hand. Yeah? Yeah. It's the first time they've been together since the accident. You were quite out to it. Knocked out. A happy ending with just one loose end. Have you still got the ball? No. It's still at the... on the roof. (CHUCKLES) My brother's kicked it up again. Oh, kicked it up. Now no one wants to go and get it cos they might fall down again. The issue of gay marriage has been on the NZ radar for years now, and arguments surrounding it have been heating up as the same-sex legislation makes its way through parliament. Part of that process is interested parties making submissions before the select committee. Yesterday one of those was our own, Matt McLean. MATT, YOU'RE A JOURNALIST. AND TRADITIONALLY, WE STAY NEUTRAL. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GET OUT THERE AND MAKE A SUBMISSION IT WAS A BIG CALL. BEING GAY IS NOT THE MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT ME IT IS SOMETHING, A PART OF ME. I'VE BEEN OUT FOR 6 YEARS. THE ISSUE OF GAY MARRIAGE CAUSED HUGE DEBATE IT'S SOMETHING I PERSONALY FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT. A MONTH AGO, I MADE A PERSONAL SUBMISSION TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE I GOT CALLED UP TO ASK IF I'D LIKE TO SPEAK. I DECIDED THAT I WOULD. IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME. DOES EVERYONE GET ASKED? YOU WORK IN WELLINGTON, NO, THERE HAS BEEN THOUSANDS OF SUBMISSIONS, AND THEY PULL OUT THOSE THAT INTEREST THEM YOU'VE BEEN ON THE PRESS BENCH, WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE IN IT? I REALLY WANTED TO DO A GOOD JOB. I WAS SO NERVOUS ABOUT IT. SWEAT DRIPPING DOWN. I WANTED TO DO A JUST JOB FOR MY COMMUNITY. SO IT WAS A FRIGHTENING PROCESS, BU THE MPS WERE WELCOMING ALL THE MPS WERE WELCOMING. I SPOKE ABOUT MY WRITTEN SUBMISSION THEY ASKED ME A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. STRAIGHTFORWARD STUFF? IT TOOK 15 MINUTES. THEN THAT WAS IT. THAT WAS IT. AND THEY TOOK THE NEXT ORAL SUBMISSION NOT MANY PEOPLE SEE DEMOCRACY WORKING. WERE THEY LISTENING SERIOUSLY? WERE THEY GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS? I THINK THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED, WHICH WAS HEARTENING. I KNEW THAT THEY HAD READ MY SUBMISSION BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS WERE BASED ON IT IT'S INTERESTING, THIS DEBATE - THE BUSINESS ABOUT MIKE KING TWEETING FOR SPORTS PEOPLE TO STAND UP HE WAS SAYING SOME SPORTS PEOPLE SHOULD STAND UP. IS THERE STILL A BIT OF THAT ATTITUDE? HE GOT NO RESPONSES. IT IS CHANGING. IT IS GOOD I REMMEBER GARETH THOMAS, WELSH RUGBY PLAYER, HE WAS THE FIRST IN PRO SPORT TO COME OUT, THE RESPONSE HE GOT WAS FANTASTIC. IT IS SOMETHING ESPECIALLY IN SPORT IT'S A TOUGH THING TO DO AS I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE PREPARED TO MAKE A STAND. WHAT SORT OF RESPONSE DID YOU GET? IT IS TERRIBLE WE DON'T HAVE MARRAIGE EQUALITY. THERE IS A SECTION OF SOCITEY NOT AFFORDED THE SAME RIGHTS. TO ME, THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS, AND NOT THE NZ I KNOW AND LOVE I'M GLAD I DID. THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN AMAZING. MY TWITTER HAS GONE CRAZY. I GOT AN EMAIL FROM A 29-YEAR-OLD HETEROSEXUAL MALE WHO IS GETTING MARRIED IN A MONTH SO AMAZING TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT I HAD SAID, WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MARRY THE PEOPLE WHO WE LOVE. IN TERMS OF THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE, YOUR DAD SENT YOU A MESSAGE? PART OD MY SUBMISSION WAS AROUND MY DAD. WHEN I CAME OUT SIX YEARS AGO, HE SAID HE WAS DISAPPOINTED NOT IN ME, BUT IN WHAT I MIGHT MISS OUT ON - IN TERMS OF HAVING A WEDDING AND STARTING A FAMILY TO ME IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN YOU COME OUT AS A GAY MAN, IT'S NOT THAT YOU WANT TO FOREGO YOUR RIGHT TO A FAMILY THAT AS PART OF MY SUBMISSION. DAD HAS BEEN AMAZING AND SUPPORTIVE EVER SINCE I CAME OUT SIX YEARS AGO HE SEND ME A TEXT YESTERDAY JUST SAYING HE'S NEVER BEEN PROUDER AND FOR ME TO GO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IT'S GOOD TO HAVE DAD ON YOUR SIDE. THANKS SO MUCH, MATT. AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. YOU'LL BE BACK FOR THE FINAL SHOW., Coming up ` what's driven this woman to get the chop for charity? And the nun on a mission to get us gardening. I'm doing what I want to do, and I love it. Ever thought about being a donor? Well, its something you can do right now, and no, we're not suggesting you give up one of your kidneys ` there's something much simpler you can donate, and give again and again. I'll give you a clue ` I wouldn't be high on the donor list. Gill Higgins explains. PENSIVE MUSIC Julienne is waiting to be a trailblazer. It's a new thing to NZ. It hasn't been done here before. Come on through. Come on through. While haircuts are a dime a dozen every day, this one is different. For a start, Julienne doesn't even want short hair. This is probably my third haircut in my life. BOTH CHUCKLE I like having it long, and it's just something I've grown up with. But here she is, preparing for the chop. I've done it before. I won't pass out or anything. She's doing it for these women. They have little or no hair to cut. They have cancer, and hair loss is one of the side-effects of treatment. Losing my hair was quite a raw, humbling experience for me. You really feel like you need protecting when you got no hair. It's like you're vulnerable. When I started pulling out clumps in my hand, it actually gave me a real shock. I didn't like it. I cried. Being Samoan, hair means everything as a woman. Right. How do we use this product? Here at Look Good, Feel Better, they're getting a lesson in feeling great. We really deal with side effects. Loss of hair, eyebrows, eyelashes. We're really here to nurture them and really look after them, and as we say, let them face the world with self-confidence. I'm going to try something a little more dramatic. It includes getting reacquainted with a head of hair. TECHNO MUSIC They can go from a blond to brunette, or a brunette to blond. Synthetic suits some, but only real hair makes the cut for others. If you're very tactile with your hair ` if you like styling, curling, straightening, doing of things to your hair, and you're used to long hair, then human hair is very good for that. Some love it. Just absolutely love it. Which is why we need people like Julienne, who are taking part in the Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign. I'm going to start to prepare your hair for donation. Julienne's inspiration was her daughter. My daughter has cystic fibrosis, and I can't give her lungs. But Julienne can donate her hair to others. It's gonna make someone happy. Maybe Jules' little friends at Starship. She gives me courage, my daughter. She said to me, 'Give it all. Like, have a number two.' She's not going that far, but she is going further than ever before. It's a minimum of 20mm or 8 inches, but you are super-generous today. You are gifting 12 inches, 30cm, so they are really gonna love you. In the US, there's over 100,000 wigs being donated, cos that's where the Beautiful Lengths campaign first started. Here to date, we've had 40 ponytails, but the campaign runs till March. We're giving people time to grow their hair and then still donate it. It takes about six ponytails to make one wig. The hair is sent abroad to an experienced wigmaker. Every strand of hair is hand-tied into the base of the wig, so there's a lot of work that goes into putting one together. That's why they cost at least $1500, but these wigs will be free. It's expensive being sick, so being able to provide these wigs, which will be no cost, cos the hair is donated and the services are being donated ` then they can get this lovely wig and won't actually cost them a cent. So here it is ` the sound of generosity. Wow, my scissors are really getting a good workout. (CHUCKLES) All gone. Painless. Pop into Glad lock bag. With the added bonus of a new summer look. I like it. I think it's better. It was a good decision. I'm glad that she did it. It was good that she's helping people out. It is just a really nice way for everyone to get on board for something that's really positive, and it's an easy gift. Anyone can do it, even at home. Just a few tips to remember ` Just make sure that you pop the band below shortest length you want, and then pop the second band just on the ends. We don't want any colour, no chemicals. Other than that, it's open season. Wavy, straight and curly hair is not issue. Gender is not an issue We just want great, healthy hair. This is why it's worth it. To have wig means you're normal. Every day, you're normal. Yeah, it's like you haven't lost your hair. You really don't want to advertise to everybody what going through. It's very personal. Just nice having that feeling something around my neck. Gives confidence back. Amazing. UPLIFTING MUSIC And if you'd like to give up your locks to this good cause, you'll find details of the beautiful lengths campaign on our website. Just ahead ` this is leafy greens. So's this. There's something about hope in green, in the colour green. Michael Holland explains next. Being voted Gardener Of The Year is, if you're of the green-fingered disposition, pretty high praise. But for Rosemary Revell, her gardening work's not about the accolades she gets, but what she gives back. As for the praise? Well, that's in the nickname ` Sister Leafy Greens. Michael Holland with the gardening nun. GENTLE, UPBEAT MUSIC It's life-giving, and its full of energy, and its full of growth. You can almost hear the plants growing sometimes. Out of all that is green,... There's something about hope in green, in the colour green. out of all that is naturally good, comes a moniker for this Sister of Mercy as delightfully down to earth as she is. Sister Leafy Greens. Sister Leafy Greens?! (CHUCKLES) Yeah, and leafy greens is so vital for our well being. Well-being Sister Rosemary and her volunteer helpers are happy to share. The healthy abundance from their Ellerslie Community Garden finds its way into food bank bundles. I'm doing what I want to do, and I love it. You are growing cabbage patch kids here, Rosemary? It's marvellous, isn't it? You are never too old, never too old,... or too young. Yeah, that's right, you do some more wedding. If everybody could grow their own in their own backyard ` no matter what your skill level, If everybody could grow their own in their own backyard ` no matter what your skill level, you can get things to grow. You benefit twice ` the exercise and then the goodness of the home grown food. Although right now the boss is a tad slower than she'd like to be. Just remind me, how long since you had your hip replaced? Six days, six days exactly. BOTH CHUCKLE We get rid of this onion weed, Bridget. And here you are back in the garden, barking out the orders. Absolutely. Why not? The need to be watered before you leave today. That's on the plan, Rosie. > It's a very special place. This is our favourite day of the week, coming here. Wouldn't give that up. It's really lovely to see a young couple in this day and age give up their own time to come and work in a garden for people less well-off than themselves. You want to have a little smell? Smell? (SNIFFS) Smells nice? Very much about heart and soul. She is passionate about healthy eating, about all people having access to healthy food. And I think this garden epitomises that. A tablespoon of molasses and a table spoon of white vinegar, and you fill it up with water, and it stops the cockle moth. It's really good to try and be as organic as you can, because I really think we need to try to get back to some of the old practices of the past. These are looking beautiful. Yeah, of course they are. You are not surprised they are looking beautiful? Not at all, not at all. Now, this is the pukeko-proof fence? We might have some corn this year. (CHUCKLES) The pukekos come and help themselves freely to produce that we have on display. It's like their own dinner plate. This is silverbeet. Silverbeet, and there is some celery that has really gone to seed in the last couple of days. She's out there telling us what to do, what to do next, and what to do after that if we run out of things to do. It has to be just right? I wouldn't say I'm a slave driver, but you are not going to sit round twiddling your thumbs. This one here, boss? Take a couple, there's a couple of tatty ones there. These are going to your favourite chook? They are going to my chooks. For me its to get people in touch with the soil. Got something on your toe there. And see what it can give them, and to make them want to do it themselves at home, so you are really encouraging people. If it's green, it's good? Absolutely. Oh, look, there's a red one under there. The kids must have missed that one when they were having a forage this morning. It wouldn't be a garden without chooks? Oh no, you have got to have some chooks. Come on Wendy,... (WHISTLES) We give her a bit of this. Wendy. This reminds me a bit of The Good Life. Absolutely.I love The Good Life, and that was way back in the 70s. The Good Life has always been a part of me, I think. So you are determined that the art of self-sufficiency will never die? Absolutely. I think if we can teach the kids or people of any age to be self sufficient, we are teaching them real skills for life. The supermarkets might not be too happy, but we won't worry too much about them. They can call me Sister Leafy Greens as long as they like, I don't care. It's a badge of honour? Yeah, very nice. (LAUGHS) Don't forget to join us tomorrow for the last ever Close Up ` who knows what could happen? See you then. That's NZ Close Up. Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air.