COPYRIGHT ABLE 2015 KIA ORA, GOOD TO HAVE YOUR COMPANY. TONIGHT ` A DAREDEVIL KAYAKER, HIS HORRENDOUS ACCIDENT, BUT WHAT A COURAGEOUS COMEBACK. ARE YOU SURE? YEAH, I'M SURE. ARE YOU SURE SURE? ARE YOU SURE SURE SURE? YEAH, YEAH, NAH, I WOULDN'T DO IT. I WOULDN'T DO IT IF I WASN'T SURE. I HOPE EVERYTHING HOLDS TOGETHER ALL RIGHT. BUT FIRST UP, SARAH HALL HAS QUITE A DIFFERENT STORY OF SURVIVAL. AND THIS ONE NEEDS A REAL WARNING, ACTUALLY. IT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUNGER MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY. YEAH, IT'S SHOCKING THAT THIS COULD'VE HAPPENED IN A TINY NZ TOWN. YEAH, IT'S ABOUT A WOMAN HELD AGAINST HER WILL FOR 17 YEARS AND SUBJECTED TO UNBELIEVABLE CRUELTY. AND NOW SHE WANTS TO TELL EVERYBODY WHAT HAPPENED TO HER AND HOW SHE GOT AWAY. OMINOUS MUSIC IT IS THE MOST INCREDIBLE STORY OF SURVIVAL AND ESCAPE. VIRTUALLY A SLAVE FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES, KATRINA JONES FINALLY MANAGED TO GET AWAY FROM HER ABUSER IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT. STARVED AND BEATEN, SHE WEIGHED JUST 35 KILOS, BUT KATRINA MANAGED TO WALK OVER STEEP COUNTRYSIDE FOR 26KM TO FREEDOM. HOW ON EARTH DID THIS HAPPEN IN NZ? REFLECTIVE MUSIC WELL, THE STORY BEGINS BACK IN 1989, WHEN KATRINA WAS A NAIVE 15-YEAR-OLD. AT THE TIME, SHE WAS DOING WELL IN SCHOOL AND WAS PART OF THE AIR CORPS, WITH DREAMS OF JOINING THE AIR FORCE. I WAS PRETTY NAIVE AND INNOCENT AND WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ANYONE, EVEN IF I GOT MYSELF IN TROUBLE, JUST TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY. OMINOUS MUSIC SO WHEN SHE MET 24-YEAR-OLD ALLAN ROSEWARNE, A LOCAL BAD BOY AND SMALL-TIME CANNABIS DEALER WITH A REPUTATION OF BEING AGRO WITH HIS GIRLFRIENDS, KATRINA SAYS SHE FOUND IT HARD TO SAY NO TO HIM. < SO, LOOKING BACK NOW, YOU WERE PERFECT PICKINGS. YEAH. YEP. YEP, AND HE WOULD SAY THAT TO EVERYBODY. 'I'M TRAINING THIS BITCH WELL,' YOU KNOW. SINISTER MUSIC SIREN WAILS WITHIN A YEAR, THEY WERE LIVING TOGETHER, AND THE CONTROL THAT ROSEWARNE WOULD EXERT OVER HER FOR THE NEXT 17 YEARS HAD BEGUN. WHERE'S MY BLOODY TREAT? I'M COMING! HE MADE KATRINA LEAVE SCHOOL AND DROP ALL OF HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY, THEN THE BEATINGS BEGAN. WHAT'S THIS? (SCREAMS) DOG BARKS MY HEAD HE SMASHED AGAINST THE WALL, CHOKING ME UNCONSCIOUS, UM, STABBING ME WITH FORKS, BROKEN BROOMS, AND A LOT OF THE TIME, YOU KNOW, IT'S NAKED. IT WASN'T JUST BEATINGS AND RAPES THAT KATRINA HAD TO ENDURE. ROSEWARNE HAD FULL CONTROL OVER HER MONEY, EVEN WHAT SHE ATE. GUYS, SHH! SHE WASN'T ALLOWED OUTSIDE THE HOUSE UNLESS HE WAS WITH HER, AND WHEN SHE WAS ALLOWED THE OCCASIONAL PHONE CALL TO HER PARENTS, HE LISTENED ON THE OTHER END. HE'S JUST MOODY SOMETIMES, HONESTLY. FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, ROSEWARNE WAS KATRINA'S CAPTOR. HEY, I'VE GOTTA GO. < YOU WERE A SEX SLAVE. YEAH. < YOU WERE BEATEN. < HE WOULD PISS ON YOU. YEAH, HE TREATED THE DOGS BETTER. < MAKE YOU SLEEP ON THE FLOOR NAKED. YEP. < AND IT WENT ON FOR YEARS... < AND YEARS AND YEARS. YEP. KATRINA, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY YOU JUST DIDN'T LEAVE? UM, WELL, HE WOULDN'T LET` LET ME OUT OF HIS SIGHT. I'D` I'D LOST ALL HOPE FOR MYSELF, ALL... (SIGHS) ALL SELF-LOVE, AND MY SPIRIT WAS GONE, SO... I'D COMPLETELY GIVEN UP ON MYSELF. KATRINA HAD FOUR CHILDREN WITH ROSEWARNE. TO KEEP THEM ISOLATED, HE MOVED THE FAMILY TO THE TINY SETTLEMENT OF WHANGAMOMONA, POPULATION 20. IT IS 63KM TO THE NEAREST LARGE TOWN OF STRATFORD. KNOCK AT DOOR ANY VISITORS WOULD BE TOLD TO GO AWAY. THE ONLY PEOPLE ALLOWED IN, VERY OCCASIONALLY, WERE KATRINA'S PARENTS. SHE WAS VERY PALE AND QUIET, AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHY, YOU KNOW. BUT YOU THOUGHT THAT KATRINA WANTED TO BE THERE? YES, BUT I ALWAYS HEARD WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HEAR. YOU KNOW, THEY COVERED UP ALL THE TIME, SO... I'D TAKE THE KIDS TO THE PARK, BUT FOR SOME REASON, KATRINA WOULDN'T COME DOWN THE PARK WITH ME. SO I IMAGINE HE WAS PROBABLY KEEPING AN EYE ON HER. KATRINA DID GET AWAY ONCE, ESCAPING TO HER PARENTS' PLACE. HER MUM AND DAD STAYED THERE BY HER SIDE FOR THREE WEEKS, BUT THE MOMENT THEY LEFT HOME TO GO BACK TO WORK, ROSEWARNE BROKE IN AND GRABBED HER. I GOT HERE AND SHE'D GONE. NONE OF HER STUFF. JUST HER AND THE KIDS HAD GONE. AND AT THE TIME, I THOUGHT IT WAS HER CHOICE, BUT IT WASN'T. SO I HE'D FORCED HER INTO A CAR AND DRIVEN AWAY WITH HER. YEAH. YEAH. KATRINA'S MUM PHONED THE POLICE, BUT ROSEWARNE WAS ONE STEP AHEAD. HE DROVE KATRINA TO THE POLICE STATION. WHILE HE WAITED IN THE CAR, HE MADE HER GO INSIDE TO TELL THE LOCAL CONSTABLE THAT SHE WAS ALL RIGHT AND THAT SHE WANTED TO GO BACK TO HIM. ALL THE WHILE, ROSEWARNE THREATENED TO KILL ALL OF HER FAMILY IF SHE DIDN'T FOLLOW HIS ORDERS. HE SAID, YOU KNOW, 'I'M GONNA RAPE AND KILL YOUR PARENTS AND THE KIDS IF YOU DON'T GO BACK.' SO I` I JUST, AT THAT STAGE` I COULDN'T` I HAD TO. UM... SO, YEAH,... SO WE CAME BACK TO WHANGAMOMONA, AND I DECIDED THEN I HAD TO, UM` MY NEXT ESCAPE, I HAD TO DO PROPERLY, THAT THERE COULDN'T BE ANY FLAWS. I` THERE WAS NO TRUSTING ANYBODY, COS THEY MIGHT DO IT WRONG. OH GOD, KATRINA. SO THIS IS WHERE YOU LIVED FOR 10 YEARS WITH HIM? YEAH. (SIGHS, CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY) YOU ALL RIGHT? YEAH, I'M... (SNIFFLES) 'FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES, KATRINA JONES LIVED IN THIS HOUSE OF HORRORS, 'BEATEN AND ABUSED BY ALLAN ROSEWARNE, 'A MORPHINE-ADDICTED DRUG ADDICT WHO VIRTUALLY KEPT KATRINA AS A SLAVE.' THIS IS WHERE THE... (SIGHS) THE GIRLS USED TO... TO SLEEP. ...HAVE THEIR ROOM. UM... HE WOULD LOCK THE KIDS IN THE OTHER ROOM, COS HE KNEW... I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE` ESCAPE WITHOUT THEM. SO HE WOULD LOCK THEM IN THERE, AND I WOULD FALL ASLEEP IN HERE. WATER RUNS BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE HOUSE IS IN FAR BETTER CONDITION NOW THAN IT WAS WHEN KATRINA LIVED HERE. SHE HAD NO RUNNING WATER, THERE WAS RAW SEWAGE OUTSIDE, AND ROSEWARNE INSISTED ON KEEPING 12 BIG DOGS INSIDE. GIVEN THE WAY THEY WERE LIVING, IT IS REMARKABLE THAT OVER THE YEARS NO ONE UNCOVERED THE EXTENT OF THE ABUSE. THE POLICE DID VISIT THE HOUSE ONCE, BUT THEY QUESTIONED KATRINA IN FRONT OF ROSEWARNE, WHO HAD THREATED TO KILL ALL HER FAMILY IF SHE TALKED. YOU DON'T NEED A CAGE TO KIDNAP SOMEBODY. YOU` UM, YOU TERRIFY THEM TO THAT MUCH, LIKE, UM... (SNIFFLES) THAT YOU` THEY BRAINWASH YOU, THEY TERRIFY YOU AND YOU CAN'T... (SNIFFLES) YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK TO ANYONE SINCE YOU'RE 15, YOU CAN'T, UM` YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. FOREBODING MUSIC WITNESS TO ALL OF THIS WERE THE FOUR CHILDREN KATRINA BORE TO ALLAN ROSEWARNE. THE ELDEST TWO SHOSHONI AND CHEYENNE. WHAT ARE YOUR EARLIEST MEMORIES OF LIVING IN THAT HOUSE? > JUST BEING SCARED AND ON GUARD THE WHOLE TIME. JUST, UM, DIDN'T WANT TO MESS ANYTHING UP, WORRIED ABOUT EVERY LITTLE THING, AND... THE WORST PART WAS WHEN, LIKE, MUM DID SOMETHING WRONG,... MM. ...COS, LIKE, ANY LITTLE THING, AND HE WOULD JUST GO OFF. I` WELL, THERE WAS ONE MORNING WHEN I WOKE UP FROM A NIGHT WHERE I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA KILL HER. IT WAS SO LOUD, AND THE THINGS I KEPT HEARING, AND I JUST THOUGHT SHE COULDN'T SURVIVE THAT. I WOKE UP IN THE MORNING, AND I WENT TO THE TOILET, AND THERE WAS BLOOD SMEARED ALL OVER THE WALLS, AND THERE WAS JUST BLOOD EVERYWHERE, AND ALL I COULD THINK WAS 'SHE COULDN'T HAVE SURVIVED THIS.' AND I REALLY THOUGHT SHE WAS DEAD. AND AS CHILDREN, YOU MUST HAVE FELT POWERLESS TO STOP IT. YEP. SO MUCH TIMES I FELT LIKE I JUST NEEDED` WANTED TO STEP IN AND JUST TRY AND STOP HIM, BUT I... WAS TOO SCARED. DUCKS QUACK ALLAN ROSEWARNE RAN THE HOUSE WITH AN IRON FIST. THE KIDS WERE TOLD HE WOULD KILL THEIR MOTHER IF THEY SPOKE TO ANYONE ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT HOME. IT'S HARD, BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS LIKE AND` BUT IF YOU EVER MET HIM AND SAW THE WAY THAT HE MANIPULATED HER AND SAID THAT HE WOULD KILL MUM'S FAMILY OR US OR... YOU COULDN'T LEAVE, COS YOU KNOW, OUT OF ALL THE THINGS HE DID, THAT HE WOULD MAKE THOSE THREATS COME TRUE IF YOU DID LEAVE. AND SHE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. THERE WAS BARELY ANYWHERE SHE HAD TO` SHE COULD GO, AND FEAR... THERE WAS` SHE HAD NO HOPE. BY NOW KATRINA WEIGHED JUST 35 KILOS, BECAUSE THERE WAS SO LITTLE FOOD IN THE HOUSE. SHE ALSO HAD BRAIN DAMAGE FROM ALL THE BEATINGS. SHE KNEW IF SHE DIDN'T ESCAPE SOON, SHE WOULD DIE. IT WASN'T THE COURAGE; IT WAS JUST THE DESPERATION. I HAD TO. I WAS DYING. MY SKIN WAS MELTING, I WAS THAT MALNUTRITIONED. MY KIDS WERE STARVING. I JUST` I HAD TO. AND I ONLY HAD THAT ONE HOUR AT NIGHT TO TRY TO DO MY PLAN OF ESCAPE. I COULDN'T TRUST ANYONE AROUND HERE. I COULDN'T EVEN TRUST TO TALK TO MY KIDS, JUST IN CASE... (SNIFFLES) FOR MONTHS, KATRINA HAD PLANNED HER ESCAPE, KEEPING A BACKPACK HIDDEN IN THE HOUSE WITH WARM SOCKS AND A CHANGE OF CLOTHES. IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT, SHE CRAWLED OUT OF THE HOUSE AND BEGAN WALKING TOWARDS STRATFORD. IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR ROSEWARNE TO DISCOVER HER GONE, BUT SHE HID WHILE HE SEARCHED FOR HER. DESPITE BEING SO MALNOURISHED, KATRINA WALKED AN INCREDIBLE 26KM ACROSS STEEP COUNTRYSIDE UNTIL SHE REACHED A HOUSE AND PHONED WOMEN'S REFUGE. THE POLICE THEN RACED TO THE HOUSE AND RESCUED THE CHILDREN. I WAS JUST HAPPY I WAS FREE. THAT'S ALL I WANTED. WE HAD NO CLOTHES, NO FOOD, BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER ` WE WERE FREE. SHE MAY HAVE BEEN FREE, BUT SO TOO WAS ROSEWARNE. YOU RIGHT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? KATRINA HAD BEEN TOO SCARED OF HIM TO PRESS ANY CHARGES. FOR YEARS, SHE'S FELT GUILTY ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE HE WENT ON TO GET ANOTHER GIRLFRIEND, WHO BECAME ANOTHER VICTIM. ROSEWARNE INJECTED HER WITH MORPHINE WHILE SHE SLEPT TO MAKE HER AN ADDICT. WHEN SHE FINALLY ESCAPED, SHE WENT STRAIGHT TO THE POLICE, AND ROSEWARNE WAS ARRESTED. LAST OCTOBER, HE WAS SENTENCED TO PREVENTIVE DETENTION. DO YOU THINK HE SHOULD EVER BE FREED FROM PRISON? NO. HE'S` HE'S A DANGER TO ANYBODY HE WALKS PAST. IT'S A LOT EASIER NOW KNOWING THAT HE'S BEHIND BARS. AND, UM, WE CAN FINALLY BE FREE AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HIM ANY MORE. WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR YOUR MUM NOW? I JUST WANT HER TO BE ABLE TO RELAX, YOU KNOW, WORK ON HER ART MORE, DO THE THINGS SHE LOVES. YEAH. KATRINA WILL CARRY THE SCARS OF HER 17-YEAR NIGHTMARE FOREVER. HER BRAIN DAMAGE FROM THE BEATINGS IS SO SEVERE SHE IS SUPPOSED TO WEAR A HELMET 24-7 TO PROTECT HER HEAD, BUT SHE SAYS THAT'S NOT THE IMPORTANT THING. ALL SHE CARES ABOUT IS THAT SHE AND HER CHILDREN ARE FINALLY FREE. LOOK, THERE'S A LESSON HERE, ISN'T THERE? IF YOU ARE THE VICTIM OF DOMESTIC ABUSE, HOWEVER HARD IT SEEMS, CALL FOR HELP. YEAH, MAKE THAT CALL. THE KIDS, SHOSHONI AND CHEYENNE, THEY'RE IMPRESSIVE, EH? THEY'RE REALLY BRAVE, AREN'T THEY? THEY ARE. THEY ARE BRAVE. AND, LOOK, CHEYENNE HAS PUT HERSELF THROUGH TEACHERS' TRAINING. AND SHE NOW HAS A JOB AS A SECONDARY-SCHOOL TEACHER, AND SHE IS ABOUT TO GET MARRIED. YEAH, GOOD ON HER. THOSE CHILDREN, THEY DESERVE ALL THE SUCCESS THEY CAN GET. THEY SEEM REALLY LEVEL-HEADED, DON'T THEY? YEAH, THEY CERTAINLY DO. OK, UP NEXT ` A NZ DAREDEVIL WHOSE JOB IT IS TO LAUNCH HIMSELF DOWN PERILOUS WATERFALLS. I'M WITH BEN BROWN AFTER THE BREAK. # WE ARE ALWAYS RUNNING FOR THE THRILL OF IT, THRILL OF IT. # ALWAYS PUSHING UP THE HILL, SEARCHING FOR THE THRILL OF IT. # Did you realise that the average NZ home produces around 8 litres of moisture a day? Did you realise that the average NZ home produces around 8 litres of UPBEAT MUSIC Over a year, it's the equivalent of two of these. Moisture is created by day-to-day living, like indoor clothes drying, cooking and showering. Rising damp from beneath your house can add to the problem. Damp homes are harder to heat, and they're bad for our health. So reduce moisture by opening windows and doors regularly to let fresh air circulate, use externally vented fans in kitchens, bathrooms and laundries, dry your clothes outside when you can, and make sure you sort out insulation and heating too. Here's a tip ` always address the sources of moisture in your home before considering installing a ventilation or dehumidifying system. Check out energywise.govt.nz for advice on how to solve dampness in your home. Reducing moisture improves your warmth, comfort and health. I'll see you next time. NOW, HE IS ONE OF NZ'S TOP ATHLETES. IN FACT, HE'S ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD. HE'S A TOP WHITE-WATER KAYAKER. HE IS VERY GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES, AND WHEN WE SAY 'WHITE WATER', WE MEAN HORRIFICALLY FRIGHTENING ROCK FACES WITH SHEER DROPS. IT'S WATER THE REST OF US WOULD JUST STEER COMPLETELY CLEAR OF. SO THIS GUY PUTS HIS BODY ON THE LINE, RIGHT? HE DOES. HE DOES EVERY TIME HE HEADS OUT ON THE RIVER, AND SOMETIMES THINGS CAN GO BADLY WRONG. INTRIGUING MUSIC MEET BEN BROWN, PROFESSIONAL KAYAKER,... AND HIS WORKING ENVIRONMENT. OMINOUS MUSIC NORTHLAND'S WAIRUA WATERFALL LOVE A GOOD RAINFALL, AND SO DOES BEN. HOPEFULLY I'LL JUST GO FOR A LITTLE DUNK AND WASH OUT AT THE BOTTOM. POP OUT. YEAH. ARE YOU SURE? ARE YOU SURE SURE? YEAH, I'M SURE. ARE YOU SURE SURE SURE? YEAH, NAH, I WOULDN'T DO IT IF I WASN'T SURE. I FEEL GOOD. I'M EXCITED. BEN'S PADDLED OVER THESE FALLS BEFORE, BUT TODAY'S DIFFERENT. IT'S THE FIRST TIME HE'S FACED BIG WATER SINCE A POTENTIALLY CAREER-ENDING INJURY LAST YEAR. I'VE PADDLED A LOT OF WATERFALLS. I THINK THE THING THAT'S MAKING ME A LITTLE NERVOUS TODAY IS THE FACT THAT I HAVEN'T PADDLED ONE FOR SO LONG. YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT LITTLE ELEMENT IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD, NOT SAYING I SHOULDN'T PADDLE IT, BUT IT'S JUST, LIKE, I HOPE EVERYTHING HOLDS TOGETHER ALL RIGHT. DRAMATIC MUSIC WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR JOB? MY MUM ASKS ME THAT ALL THE TIME. (LAUGHS) I AM IN A VERY FORTUNATE POSITION TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND EXPLORE THE WORLD, OR EXPLORE THE WHITE WATER OF THE WORLD, AND DOCUMENT IT THROUGH PHOTOS AND VIDEOS. AND THERE'S NO DOUBT BEN'S HAD A DREAM RUN... ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC ...THROUGH SOME OF THE WILDEST AND MOST WONDERFUL SCENERY IN THE WORLD. I DON'T THINK THERE IS A PERFECT STRETCH OF WHITE WATER. YOU KNOW, IT'S, UM` EVERY PIECE OF WHITE WATER IS MAGIC IN ITS OWN SPECIAL WAY, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE COOL THINGS ABOUT WHITE WATER IS IT ALL CHANGES. ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC CONTINUES IT'S JUST AN AMAZING FORCE OF NATURE, AND TO BE ABLE TO PADDLE DOWN IT AND SIT AT THE BOTTOM AND LOOK BACK UP AND NOT BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU GOT DOWN THERE IS PRETTY EPIC. ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC IT LOOKS DANGEROUS. AND IT IS. IN JULY LAST YEAR, IN WESTERN NORWAY, BEN HAD HIS CLOSEST CALL. HE WAS KAYAKING WITH A GROUP ON A RIVER HE HADN'T PADDLED BEFORE, WITH THE WATER RUNNING HIGH. IT ALL SORT OF HAPPENED IN SLOW MOTION. MY PADDLE BLADE SLID DOWN THE ROCK WALL, AND MY ARM GOT PULLED BEHIND ME A LITTLE BIT, AND I MUST HAVE JUST GOT THE PERFECT ANGLE. (YELLS) AND SWAM AND CAME UP AND KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I'D DONE. YOU ALL RIGHT? SHOULDER'S GONE! OH! (SCREAMS) BEN COULDN'T MOVE FOR THE PAIN. JESUS, THAT F...ING HURTS! THE ONLY WAY TO GET HIM OUT OF THE RAVINE WAS TO TRY AND POP THE SHOULDER BACK INTO ITS SOCKET RIGHT THERE ON THE RIVERSIDE. (GROANS) THEY TIED A ROCK AROUND MY WRIST USING A BIT OF UM` A BIT OF WEBBING, AND JUST PUT GENTLE PRESSURE ON, AND I WAS DOING EVERYTHING I COULD TO TRY AND RELAX MY SHOULDER, AND, YEAH, IT'S PRETTY FULL ON WHEN IT GOES BACK IN. (YELLS) ALMOST A MONTH LATER, AND BEN'S BACK HOME TO LEARN WHAT DAMAGE HE'S DONE, AND THE NEWS FROM SPECIALIST SURGEON DR MAT BRICK IS NOT GOOD. WHEN THE BALL WENT OVER THE FRONT OF THE SOCKET, IT TOOK A SMALL PIECE OF THE SOCKET BONE OFF AND PUT A BIG DENT IN THE HUMERAL HEAD. BUT EVEN WORSE, HE'S COMPLETELY RIPPED AWAY THE CARTILAGE WHICH HOLDS HIS SHOULDER IN PLACE. IT WON'T HEAL ON ITS OWN. WATCH THIS THING FLY OUT OF ITS SOCKET. I'M NOT GONNA DO THAT. MAT'S CLEAR ` BEN NEEDS IMMEDIATE SURGERY IF HE'S EVER TO KAYAK AGAIN. MY PROBLEM IS TO SEND AN EXTREME WHITE-WATER KAYAKER BACK INTO THE MAELSTROM WITH AN UNSTABLE SHOULDER, I DON'T WANT TO READ ABOUT HIM HAVING DROWNED THREE MONTHS LATER. YEAH, YEAH, SURE. MM. THAT'S THE DILEMMA. SO SURGERY, A BRACE, ENDLESS PHYSIO. IT'S A FIVE-MONTH PROCESS ` THE LONGEST BEN'S BEEN OUT OF A KAYAK SINCE HE FIRST PICKED UP A PADDLE ` UNTIL AT LAST,... HE'S BACK ON THE WATERS OF HIS FAVOURITE RIVER, THE KAITUNA IN ROTORUA. EMPIRE OF THE SUN'S 'WALKING ON A DREAM' IT MIGHT NOT LOOK IT, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY BEN TAKING IT EASY. HE KNOWS THE KAITUNA BACKWARDS, BUT THE FALLS ARE STILL CHALLENGING AND STILL A RISK TO HIS HEALING SHOULDER. # WE ARE ALWAYS RUNNING FOR THE THRILL OF IT, THRILL OF IT. ALWAYS PUSHING UP THE HILL... # I'M IN THAT POINT NOW WHERE I'VE GOT TO BE REALLY CAREFUL NOT TO RE-INJURE IT, COS, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN SEVEN MONTHS, AND IF I BLOW IT OUT NOW, I'D BE BACK TO SQUARE ONE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD DEAL WITH THAT. BUT EVEN WATER YOU KNOW WELL CAN BE UNFORGIVING. A GOOD FRIEND OF BEN'S DIED ON THIS RIVER IN 2014, ONLY DAYS BEFORE WE FILMED THIS. IT'S BEEN A BAD COUPLE OF YEARS IN THE INTERNATIONAL KAYAKING COMMUNITY. WE'VE` THIS YEAR, WE'VE LOST TWO REALLY GOOD PADDLERS. FRIENDS OF YOURS? > YEAH, FRIENDS OF MINE, AND, YEAH, LAST YEAR WE LOST ONE, SO... THAT MUST BE SO TOUGH. > YEAH IT IS. IT'S FULL ON, AND IT'S A REAL` IT'S A WAKE-UP CALL, BECAUSE YOU SEE... YOU SEE THE DAMAGE THAT IS DONE TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND. AND YOU REALISE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN A LOT OF WAYS, IT'S KIND OF` IT'S A LITTLE BIT SELFISH, WHAT I DO, TO GO AND` TO GET INTO THOSE ENVIRONMENTS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, KAYAKING'S BEEN SUCH A BIG PART OF MY LIFE, THAT I THINK IT'S SHAPED ME AS A PERSON, AND IT, UM` YOU KNOW, IF IT WASN'T FOR KAYAKING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF A PERSON I'D BE LIKE. NO DOUBT STILL A RISK-TAKER, STILL LOOKING FOR THAT ULTIMATE THRILL. SOMETHING THAT RIVERS CERTAINLY DELIVER. IF HIS SHOULDER HOLDS UP TODAY, BEN HAS SOME ASTOUNDING ADVENTURES PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR. BUT THEY'RE SECRET PLANS FOR THE MOMENT, SO IF HE DOESN'T SURFACE HERE, WE MAY NEVER KNOW. DRAMATIC MUSIC BUT HE DOES. AND WATCHING HIM, YOU GET THE FEELING THAT BEN BROWN IS ONE OF NATURE'S UNSINKABLES. NO MATTER WHAT LIFE THROWS AT HIM, HE'LL ALWAYS BOB UP AGAIN A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE RIVER. WHOO! IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE WHAT BEN DOES, AND, DUNCAN, HE TOLD ME THAT IF HE DOES IT RIGHT, GOING OFF A WATERFALL LIKE THAT ` IT'S ABOUT 20M HIGH ` HE SAID IT'S LIKE BEING SMACKED IN THE FACE WITH A SHOVEL. CHARMING (!) YEAH, WE KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE. UM, AND THAT NEW CHALLENGE THAT HE TALKS ABOUT, AND IT'S STILL SECRET, ALL WE CAN TELL YOU IS HE'S HEADING FOR ICELAND, AND WE'LL BE THE FIRST TO SHOW YOU THIS PIECE OF UTTER INSANITY ON THE PROGRAMME AT SOME STAGE. THAT'S RIGHT. WE WILL. OK, THAT'S IT FROM US AT 3D THIS WEEK. WE'LL BE BACK AT THE USUAL TIME ` 6.30 ` NEXT SUNDAY AFTER THE NEWS. THANKS FOR YOUR COMPANY. CAPTIONS BY INGRID LAUDER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2015