5 ...brought to you by the first-ever Mazda CX3. Tonight on Sunday, a holiday weekend special as we capture those magic moments between kids and their best mates. What did you think when you first saw her? That she wasn't even a dog. A little dog... Can you pat her? ...and a small boy. Out in public, not a single word. He is literally paralysed on the spot ` unable to talk. And something wonderful's happened. I think Ling probably understands Owen's got a condition, and she's there to help him. We were a fiery, powerful, energetic bunch of people who just wanted to make this noise and tell the world what we thought. And watch out cos it's going to be loud. Peter Garrett, the powerhouse, front of house for Midnight Oil. If we care for the Earth, let's make it mean something. He spoke truth to power through his music,... # Oh, the power and the passion. # ...then through politics. Do you think you were a better politician as a musician or as a politician? Oh, that's a really good question. But it all ended in tears. And you took one for the team. Well, that's what being a minister in a government is about. READS: Please help me, Dr Kormas. I am begging you. READS: I am not ready to die at 35 years old. He was killing himself with food. Mr Nasr is almost 400kg overweight. Not 45kg. 400kg. < Wow! Yes. So just how has Andre got on with his weight loss plan? < So your loss is...? Captions by Anne Langford. Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2015 Kia ora, I'm Miriama Kamo. You may never have heard of this Kiwi photographer, but in the world of the cute and cuddly, she's a superstar. Rachael Hale McKenna's also one of this country's most successful authors, selling millions of books across the globe; 15 titles so far and counting. She's worked for Anne Geddes, travelled the world, and made global stars of kunekune pigs, French cats and New York-based bulldogs. Her latest project ` make no bones about it ` aims straight for the heart. It features the youngest and the fluffiest of NZers, and it's produced some stories that go well beyond the perfect picture. Here's Sonya Wilson. What were your favourite animals that you met? Horses. CHILDREN LAUGH Chickens. Dogs. So, this is, you guessed it, a story about kids and animals, oh, and this little girl's mum ` a woman who's made her name internationally by working with both. I've always loved a challenge. Yeah. You may not recognise her face, but Rachael Hale McKenna's images are familiar to millions. This Kiwi photographer has made a career out of the cute. Her pictures have appeared on greeting cards and calendars all over the world. Her books, globally, have sold more than three million copies. She's been photographing cats in France, dogs in New York. Our next guest has made a career of it. We welcome Rachael McKenna ` author and photographer... And now after six years, she's home again and preparing to launch her 16th book, a project that has seen her travelling the length of this country, husband and daughter in tow, photographing Kiwi kids and their animals. Was NZ not a little mundane after that? > No. No, not at all. NZ is incredible. It is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and I am constantly reminded of that when I do my travelling overseas, how lucky we are in NZ. I don't think we actually appreciate it as much as we should. It is such a beautiful country and it was incredible the places I was able to go and visit doing little loves. And the people we met ` everyone is such humble, gorgeous people here. It was amazing. She is, presumably, on to a good thing here. NZ, depending on which cat-food company PR you read, is one of the biggest, if not the biggest pet-owning countries in the world. Oh, gorgeous. We love our mutts, pooches, nags and moggies; the big, the beautiful and the bizarre. And as Rachael's book shows, sometimes, for some kids, they are far more than just a pet. I don't want to put a too finer point on it, but it's not the most photogenic dog, perhaps, I've ever seen. I think Ling is adorable. Take Ling for example... Good girl. Stay like that. ...and Owen. He's 7. What did you think when you first saw her? That she wasn't even a dog. What did you think that she was? Uh, a sausage. She looked littler. Like as big as my hand, and really cute. Owen's great with animals and kids. No hitting, OK? Can you pat her? But as a pre-schooler, life was sometimes a bit tough. Owen suffered from selective mutism, a debilitating anxiety disorder, which meant that he was totally mute in public. He spoke to three people: myself, my husband and my mother. Not even my in-laws. All we wanted him to do was make a noise in front of people that were outside of his triangle of trust. Because at home... You get home, you walk through the door, he's the loudest, most boisterous boy ever. But out in public, not a` not a single word. He literally is paralysed on the spot, unable to talk. But then Ling came along, and the dog whose appearance got everyone else talking, soon got Owen talking too. When she's angry, some white bits come into her eyes. That's how we tell that she's angry. And she nearly bit Hadlee in the car cos she started getting moany and grumpy. Once he learnt to look after Ling, he found it really easy to tell other people what she was because when you see her, you're like, 'What is that?' And then they come over, and he's like, 'This is Ling. This is my dog. 'She's a Chinese hairless chihuahua-cross.' And it's authentic. He loves her and it's easy for him to talk to her, which before he really struggled to talk. I think Ling probably understands Owen has a condition, and she's there to help him. Rachael's book is full of stories of kids like Owen whose pets have helped them through issues, or illness, or loss, but it also features plenty of Kiwi kids and their pets who simply get a buzz out of being together. Is he nice and soft? Yeah. There's city kids and farm kids, the homeschooled and the free-range; NZ painted in all its river-running, beach-blown, red-band wearing glory. I can count one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11 different animals and two children in this shot. How long did that take? They're all looking at the camera too. Oh, mostly. Did you get that one? I think the little lamb was the most challenging to get to stay put. The job does have its challenges, yes, but they are very very cute challenges. He's doing it again! As soon as I point the camera he yawns! Like when you set up a shot like this,... < That's fine. Just keep walking. ...and all you need is a boy and his goat to walk through it and not jump up on stuff. (LAUGHS) I love that goat! Happy chooks, junior animal whisperers ` life is good inside of a Rachael Hale McKenna frame. She's sells the lovely side of life ` a world where the light is golden, the view is stunning, where kids are carefree and happy. How much of it is that lovely idyllic lifestyle that you see in your images and how much of it is just hard work? There is a lot of hard work which goes into these projects. People follow me on Instagram and things, and Facebook and things, and I get these comments, 'Oh, you live the most perfect life,' and everything, and, yes, we do. We get the most incredible experience, but it's tough. It's really hard living out of suitcases for six years. There's a lot of life which people don't see which is really really challenging, and I suppose you only share the stuff which makes everything look picture-perfect. Yeah. It might not be perfect, but it's pretty good ` five months on the road with your nearest and dearest. Hard to complain about being able to do that for a living, and not a bad gig for a 5-year-old. Donkeys. Cats. Rabbits. Mouses, rats. I'm pretty biased because I love animals and I couldn't imagine my life without having animals in it, and I want that for our daughter, Charlize, to have animals and that special bond. It teaches them so many things. It teaches them respect and care and how to be gentle. There's so many different things an animal can bring into the life of a child, and it definitely, definitely enriches their lives. That's certainly been true for our now all-talking 7-year-old. Oh, who's that? Owen and Ling! Thanks in part to Ling, for this kid, the sky's the limit. No, actually, scratch that. Owen's aiming even higher. Hey, what do you want to do when you grow up? Be an astronaut. And what kind of dog will you take to outer space with you? Can you take dogs to outer space? I don't think so. I'll leave my dog at home. How adorable. Rachael's book 'Little Loves' is out now. Later in the show, when we first met Andre Nasr, he couldn't even get out of bed, but look at Andre now! It's amazing. Surreal, but amazing. I want to live. I want to enjoy life. The sky's the limit, really. I can do anything I want. Next, we know him as a rock star, an environmental activist turned politician. But tonight the side of Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett you haven't seen. Orphaned in a fire, sacked by his boss, and raising a family through it all. There's the crowd there and you can reach out and touch 'em. And everybody's had a few beers, and then you really do turn up loud. And away you go! It's almost like there's two very distinct Peter Garretts. Well, that's true. There are, and I'll get emotional. And you know... (SNIFFS) 5 Welcome back. At 62, he's had three distinct and powerful careers; rock star, activist and politician. Linking all vocations ` his powerful urge to 'change the world'. But it all ended disastrously when four young children died. As a government minister, Peter Garrett took the blame. Tonight he opens up to Melissa Doyle about his private life; his personal triumphs and despair, and his one true love ` the woman who saw him through it all. This is the place. No question about it. It's got so many memories. The audience is just there. All you see is faces. This whole room, full of people ` the energy is intense. So do you want to stand here and do it again? Well, I must admit I'm sort of feeling... (LAUGHS) We'd better watch the way this programme goes. It's starting to feel a bit... She's getting me going. Take it away! It's happening now. She's teasing me. She's urging me on. (STRUMS GUITAR) It was a remarkable defining time for Australian music... (WHISTLES) ...when music legends were born in raucous, suburban beer barns. ELECTRIC GUITARS PLAY They all made a lot of noise, but few quite like Midnight Oil. And then it was the man at the front. # When I'm locked in my room. # I just want to scream. We were a fiery, powerful, energetic bunch of people that just really wanted to make this noise and tell the world what we thought. # One more day of eating and sleeping. # And watch out cos it's going to be loud. Peter Garrett ` rock star, warrior, unafraid to lend his voice to some of our most contentious issues. We care for the Earth. Let's make it mean something. You can turn it up a little bit louder now. We've brought him back to Selina's in Sydney. We'd charge on to this stage. It's almost 20 years since Midnight Oil raised the roof here. Look at it. Probably the best room in town to see someone, cos the audience is so close to us, and the sound is fantastic in here because the carpet's got so much beer in it, it doesn't reflect the sound. It's hotter than hell, but it sounds like it. Night after night, they would pack out venues like Selina's across the country in the glory days of Australian pub rock. Mental As Anything, Inxs, Dragon, Cold Chisel, Paul Kelly, The Models. I've seen Hoodoo Gurus in here just absolutely smash it. Icehouse, Hunters & Collectors, Midnight Oil in the middle of Sydney, seven nights a week. You'd walk up the stairs, you'd pay your $3 and then you come back the next night to hear someone else. Just astonishing. # I was taken downtown for my part in the demonstration. # I was used and abused with the light in my eye at the station. # Well, the boys are set up here. You know, Rob Hirst's bass drum is just there, and there's punters everywhere here. And there's the crowd there. You can reach out and touch 'em. And everybody's had a few beers, and then you really do turn up loud. And away you go. Once you're in this environment, everything else is gone. Nothing else matters. Totally amazing. It feels great to be standing here, actually. In the early days, it was the only way to reach their audience. # Then I'll catch the bus to Bondi. # Swim the beach and wonder # who can wear the fashion when the place is oh so hot? # All we ever did was play and write the songs that we wanted to do. People would say to us, 'Look, you know, this isn't going to get played on radio.' And we'd just tell them to <BLEEP> off, you know. Our audience kept us alive as a band, literally. Midnight Oil wasn't a commercially successful band. It wasn't a band that got played on radio. It wasn't a band that was thought of in that way. It became that, but it certainly wasn't at the start. AUDIENCE CHEERS Well,... it's that time of the evening when, uh, some of us are inclined to get a little bit sentimental. The start for one of our biggest bands was an unlikely one. Former choirboy Peter was bitten with the singing bug at university. I heard about a band that was starting up. They were looking for a singer, and I figured I may as well try. And you know what? I was pretty ordinary. In fact, I think I was terrible. Something just went off in me. I thought, 'Wow. Maybe this is where I'm going to be 'and this is what I'm going to do.' So then, um, there's an ad in the Sydney Morning Herald. There is an ad in the Sydney Morning Herald ` 'Singer wanted for band touring over summer, down the coast.' I thought, 'Fair enough. That sounds pretty much like it's worth making the phone call.' The audition, so to speak, was hilarious because, you know, I was already in a band. I was a bit older than they were. I thought I was, you know, a little bit cool. And I arrived, and they looked quite young, even though they had just left school, and they just sort of, you know, almost like, in my eyes, schoolkids, and then, of course, they pick up their instruments and start playing. I'm just like, 'Oh my man, what is happening here?' You know, it was... I still have that sound in my head. Did the fact that you had your own PA system help? It did. The fact that I had my own PA system definitely helped, and there was no one else either, so they had to go with me. They had no choice. Peter, Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie, Andrew James and Martin Rotsey became Midnight Oil; later joined by Peter Gifford and Bones Hillman. Midnight Oil was always thinking about how it was playing and how it sounded. # You take what you get and get what you please. # It's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees. # Describe your dancing style for me. I've never thought consciously about how I dance, and there's a reason for that. Um, I mean, I've seen it, and it looks, you know, reasonably apt. My dancing was totally a physical response to what I was hearing. It was just an explosion of-of limbs and energy, and it kind of went with the music. You know, it sort of felt right to me. This song is especially for those people who are sitting on the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast or the 'Watch it Disappear Daintree Coast' or whatever. I'm a little concerned about the disappearance of natural things. It wasn't just the look and sound that set them apart. Midnight Oil was always a band with a message. Why was it so important for you guys to sing about things that mattered, and you sang about uranium, you sang about mining? You didn't sing about girls and sunshine. Why was that such a part of who you guys were? Well, I think we sang about the Australia that we saw with our eyes. It was a very direct commentary about what we felt was happening at the time, particularly in the light of the build-up in nuclear weapons. # ...trenches all in a row. # Conservative governments were in power in America. We were, essentially, going along with all of that in Australia. DIDGERIDOO MUSIC It was inbuilt into Midnight Oil's, kind of, DNA, you know. We weren't backing off. We wouldn't back down, and we'd play the songs, and we'd play them wherever we were. They took to topics close to their hearts and close to the bone. Talk about 'The Dead Heart'. Well, we were asked to write, uh, a song... provide some music for a film that was being made to commemorate the hand-back of what was called Ayers Rock in the middle of Australia ` the big red rock, which is now Uluru. # We don't serve your country. # Don't serve your king. # Know your custom. Don't speak your tongue. # White man came. Took everyone. Now, you might listen to it now and go, 'Yeah, well, look, it's just another song.' And in one way it is. But it was a song about something. It was very powerful. It had been done for another reason. It wasn't done because we wanted to get on the charts. # We carry in our hearts the true country, # and that cannot be stolen. # Their songs about controversial subjects woo audiences and make Midnight Oil a worldwide success as Garrett looks towards mainstream politics. But next, the stunt Midnight Oil pulled at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics. We decided we would get up and we would play a song, and we would make a statement about Australia fixing up a bit of its history for once and for all. # It belongs to them. # Let's give it back. 100,000 full-throated roars. # How can we dance when our earth is turning? I won't forget it. # How do we sleep while our beds are burning? # 5 When asked to play at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics, the temptation was too great. When the boys first showed up to the rehearsal in overalls, you know, they were just overalls, and the rehearsal just went, and everyone thought, 'Oh well, that's Midnight Oil playing in overalls 'at the closing of the Olympics.' And then, of course, we had the 'sorry' overalls underneath. # The time has come to say fair's fair. # To pay the rent, to pay our share. We decided that we will get up and we will play a song, and we will make a statement about Australia fixing up a bit of its history for once and for all. # It belongs to them. # Let's give it back. 100,000 full-throated roars. # How can we dance when our earth is turning? I won't forget it. # How do we sleep while our beds are burning? Activism was always at the heart of the band. For Peter, it was much more. # To say fair's fair. # To pay the rent. # I think it was inevitable that if I had the opportunity to get more involved in political life and public life at some point, I probably would have taken it. I knew I'd miss people and I knew I'd miss the life of a musician terribly, and that certainly proved to be the case too, I can say. But I also knew that if, you know... Sounds like a cliche, but you walk along the road and there's a fork in the road, and you just go one way. And that's what I did. BIRDSONG Oh, so this is where little Peter played. (LAUGHS) Yeah. Look, little Peter really loved being in the bush. Peter Garrett grew up in the relatively privileged surrounds of Sydney's North Shore. It's a paradise when you're a kid. Sweeping tracks of national park became his playground. If you grow up in the bush, or if you grow up playing in the bush, you experience the freedom, the exhilaration and the wonder of nature, and it really affects you as a kid, and I think it really sticks to you. It seeps into you. So did the political passions of his parents; mostly those of his left-leaning mum. In his early 20s, he lost his mother in extraordinary and harrowing circumstances that scar him to this day. Clearly, that would have been something that affected you greatly and forever would. Can you talk about it with me? Can you tell me what happened? It was a tragedy. Uh, it's a tragedy when your house burns down in an accident and your mum dies in the house but you escape, and you're there. And we were quite close, so it was a big period of grief and sorrow, which is what people feel when someone very close to them passes away. Everybody experiences loss, and we're all going to die at some stage, and your parents are going to pass away, you know. It's a terrible thought when you're young, but it's going to happen. But it's what they leave you with that actually means such a lot and can make such a difference. And ultimately I realised that she left me with this great passion for life and, you know... (SNIFFS) It wouldn't be long before that passion for life, music and political issues forged one of our most intriguing political aspirants. And from this campaign, we will do the remainder of our national past... Even while he was with Midnight Oil, he worked for Greenpeace and the Australian Conservation Foundation. He even had a crack at the Senate for the Nuclear Disarmament Party. I don't have the view that some people do that music by itself changes the world. It's people and governments that change the world, and there's different ways of changing the world as well. And I'd done a lot of changing` or tried to change it this way. Now I was going to have a go at trying to change it another way. But it was when he quit Midnight Oil and joined the Labor Party for a tilt at a safe federal seat that had fans wondering if their hero had sold out. Today I've nailed my colours to the mast. I had a pretty reasonable idea that I had disappointed people when I entered politics. If you weren't a Labor supporter, you were disappointed. If you thought I should have joined another party, you were. If you loved the band and didn't want to see it end, you were disappointed. When Labor came to power, Peter became environment minister. The protester was suddenly running policy. His highlights? International efforts to curb whaling and returning parts of Kakadu to traditional owners. The lowlight? Without a doubt, the hastily conceived stimulus plan to insulate the nation as the economy reeled from the GFC, the so-called Pink Batts Scandal. The fact that we had the death of four young kids in the insulation scheme that the government established to deal with the global financial crisis. And that was a lowlife in lots of different ways, but the obvious one was feeling the sorrow and the, sort of, hardness of parents losing someone in a government scheme, which I had responsibility for. Isn't it Minister Garrett who should be sacked? The man who lost his mother to a house fire now had to face the electrocution deaths of young insulation workers on his watch. It's something that weighs down on you when you're in a position of responsibility, so that was definitely a low. A royal commission into the scheme was highly critical of the Rudd government. Peter was dumped as environment minister. This does mean a different range and a reduced range of responsibilities for Mr Garrett. I indicated to him the course of action I'd be taking. He accepted my decision. And you took one for the team. Well, uh, that's what being a minister in a government is about. You do take one for the team. Next, the big questions, and Peter Garrett on Kevin Rudd. You call him a megalomaniac. He was. Would you go back into politics? No. Would you reform Midnight Oil? 1 The busier I got, the more time I found myself wasting on the phone for hours, ordering parts, rechecking job sheets at home, keeping track of jobs and staff. PHONE RINGS But now with a few little changes around the place, I'm ready for whatever is around the corner. You would know to look at it, but I reckon we're more geared up than anyone around here. And now I've got more time to spend with the old girl. Take our free test and be great today and ready for tomorrow. 5 Welcome back. Peter Garrett's memoir 'Big Blue Sky' is just out where he makes it pretty clear he was no fan of Kevin Rudd's prime ministership. You're quite descriptive of Kevin Rudd in a number of ways. I've got one page here where you said, 'I made my share of mistakes over nearly 10 years in parliament, 'but in light of the trail of destruction and abandoned policy Rudd left as a two-time leader, 'supporting him was certainly the biggest.' You're not a fan. No, I'm not, and, uh, I've been particularly strong in this book about leadership and Rudd's leadership, and I think it needed to be said. Rudd wasn't someone who was easy to work with in that way, and his vanity and his exercise of power as a prime minister and then subsequently was contrary, ultimately to me, to what good leadership is. So I'm critical of him. That's true. Very critical, but I think for good reason. You call him a megalomaniac. He was. I'm not the only one to think it either. You say that he was potentially jeopardising the safety of our country. It's a big call, but I stand by it. His career is a series of-of, you know, passionate embraces of issues that he then walks away from, of running government in a certain way in one direction, then turning around and heading off in another direction a couple of days later, of treating people with enormous amounts of contempt, and making the business of the country almost ungovernable. What did you fear that he would do to this country? Well, it's unpredictable. I didn't know what he could or would do. He was very strong on certain things at certain times, and then went away from being strong on them. What does that mean in the long term? I mean, even with Howard, you sort of knew where he stood. I'm not a great fan of John Howard's, and he wouldn't be a great fan of mine, but that aspect of his prime ministership I sort of understand and can respond to. Do you think you were a better politician as a musician or as a politician? Oh, that's a really good question, and quite incisive and hard to answer straight away to the camera. I think I was able to do the work of a politician as well as anyone could who came into the job having been a musician with the profile that I had. # How can we dance when our earth is turning? # Peter stepped away from politics two years ago when Kevin Rudd successfully unseated Julia Gillard. It's given him time to reflect and time to spend with his family. You're a family man with three daughters. You go home to what I would imagine would be a nice, warm, typical family home. It's almost like there's two very distinct Peter Garretts. Well, that's true. There are, and I'm... I mean, I will get emotional just answering your question, but, look, I've been extraordinarily lucky to fall in love with somebody who became my wife, and we're still together. I adore my family. How can I try and make sure that I'm there? I haven't been there sometimes enough for them, and, you know, I feel for that. But they're still talking to me, and that's good. And it's been the most important thing in my life. Would you go back into politics? No. Would you reform Midnight Oil? That's a matter for Midnight Oil. Anything's possible, and I've seen the boys. I mean, I'm still calling them 'the boys', but, you know, it's just the way we talk about one and other. And I think if the stars lined up and it was for a good reason, and everybody felt it was right to do, but everyone's scattered at the moment doing different things. It may happen or may not. I really don't know. That is so a yes. Well, I can't say any more because nothing's happened. See ya later! Oh, wouldn't that be cool? Fingers crossed. Now, remember Andre Nasr who was literally killing himself with food? Well, next, the extraordinary moment Andre finally returns home. Honey, I'm home. The last home Andre went to, he actually went there to die, whereas this house, he has come here to live, so I can just imagine how Andre is feeling. This must be so different. That's right. Your dream did come true. . Earlier this year, on this shared driveway, a couple of neighbours came up with a bright idea for a business. So where did Chalk Design begin? How'd you get your start? Jess bought me these pots one day. I said, 'Wow. We could totally do that.' So how did the website come about? We're business mobile customers. Spark have given us a free website. The template is there. Drag and drop. It's super easy. Where to from here for Chalk Design? We're global. We've got a website. Yeah. And that's amazing. If you're a business mobile customer, get yours now. 5 Welcome back. Andre Nasr weighed in at 470kg. His weight was threatening to kill him. So he cried out for help. At 35, he didn't want to die. 'Please help me, Dr Kormas,' he begged. Dr Kormas' first goal was to get Andre to stand again. Well, Andre has now done so well since we saw him last, he's moving into a new purpose-built home. But as he reveals to our reporter, Dr John D'Arcy, to save his own life, he's had to make the painful decision to cut ties with his parents. Gidday, Andre. How's it going, Doc. I'll get it, Pat. Well, well. 'It would be a short walk for most of us, but for Andre Nasr, every single step he takes 'along this hallway, is a triumph.' Good to see ya, mate. 'You see, Andre was so heavy, he literally couldn't get out of bed.' Really good to see ya. Likewise. Come in. Thank you. 'For a while, I feared I'd never see this day,...' How ya been? Fantastic. How are you? Good to see you. Likewise. SIREN WAILS All right. Everybody ready? '...because this is how Andre left his old house. He was extremely obese 'and suffering from pneumonia and a life-threatening infection.' On the count of three. One, two, three! It's hard to sum up in words, but it was like a sense of shame and relief all in the same breath; ashamed of how it was happening and how we got to that stage, but relief because there was finally hope. Back then, Andre weighed 468kg. What do you weigh now? Uh, 269. < 269 kilos. < So your loss is? 199kg. 199 kilos in one year. < How have you been able to achieve that? Um, not easily. A lot of hard work. Andre's wife, Natasha, still can't believe how much weight her determined husband has lost. You're pretty happy with the way things are going? Yeah. I'm over the moon the way things are going. Like, I don't know many people that would lose the amount of weight that he has within a year. Um, he's stuck to it brilliantly. Did you ever think that he'd get this far? Yeah, I did. I did believe in him. Once Dr Nic was on board, I knew that he was in great hands. I knew that he'd be the one doctor that would pull him out of the abyss. When Andre reached his lowest point, he wrote to obesity physician Dr Nic Kormas and begged him for help. READS: Please help me, Dr Kormas. I'm begging you. READS: I'm not ready to die at 35 years old. READS: Sincerely yours, Andre Michael Nasr. Now, we talk about severe obesity as people having a body mass index of more than 45. Now, Mr Nasr has a body mass index close to 145. So that is way off the scale. Mr Nasr is almost 400kg overweight. Not 45kg. 400kg. < Wow. Yes. This was Andre just over a year ago when his exercise routine consisted of simply standing up. It was exhausting to watch. What is your relationship with food? You could almost say a love-hate relationship. It's somewhat of an addiction. So food was your enemy? And my friend. Getting his body moving again was the first step. The next was breaking his food addiction. Hospital food. His daily calorie intake had been a whopping six times more than the average person. You could sit down a year ago and consume 6000 calories of fried chicken in one go. < Do you think you could do that now? No chance. No chance. I really don't. Andre's unhealthy relationship with food can be traced all the way back to his childhood. How was he as a little baby? Oh, he was a big baby. < A big baby? A big baby. Yeah. He liked his food. < He liked his food? Yeah. He liked his food. Big as a toddler, even bigger as a teen. By the time he was 18, he weighed 200 kilos. How important was food in your family? To an extent, it was a cultural thing where we celebrate everything with food. I think we took that to the next level. (CHUCKLES) We loved him with the food. 'Come on. You're hungry. We give you something to eat,' you know. Do you take any responsibility for the fact that he has got so fat? Mm, maybe in the early stage, but not when he was older. When he was younger, yeah, probably, because I fed him so much. Yeah. I don't take responsibility, but at the beginning, yeah. They're going to kill me for this one, but a lot, a lot of responsibility they should have taken aboard, especially in the early years. In the later years when Natasha tried desperately to get Andre to stick to a diet, his mum would sneak him food. If he wants food, I will take it. I will make a way to take it for him. < How will he get it? Oh, just through the door... through the window. < Through the window?! < Now, before you went to hospital, when you were so desperate, < Mum and Dad, who love you dearly, were enabling the amount of food that you ate every day. Where do they fit in now? They're out of my life. < They're out of your life? Yep. < Tell me about that. If I was to pick up the phone and call them, I know they will still come with food. So the fact that they're not in my life means that temptation isn't there. I'm happy in a way because they can't... bring him food any more, cos they didn't... they didn't want to see what they were doing to him. They didn't open their eyes to say, 'Hey, we should stop this.' Honey, I'm home. After 14 months in hospital, Andre's been approved for specialised public housing ` a home purpose-built for extremely obese tenants. It has wide hallways and a large bathroom, but a regular size kitchen. Want one too, Doc? Why not, mate? ALL LAUGH The last time I was at home, I was killing myself with food. What do you think, Andre? It's amazing. It's surreal but amazing. Did you ever think this was going to happen? No. I want to live. I want to enjoy life. In his old house, Andre was so heavy, he broke the family sofa. He has a brand-new armchair, custom-built for his size. (SIGHS HEAVILY) Heaven. Who's good at slicing meat? Now at home and outside the strict controls of a hospital ward, Andre's true test of willpower begins. At his housewarming, the temptation is right there. In the old days, Andre could have eaten most of the spit roast in a single sitting. Michael, could you please take this to Daddy? Instead, his son Michael delivers him a salad. Thank you. Slowly. > Thank you. Did you make it? If you think about it, the last home that Andre went to, he actually went there to die, whereas this house, he's come here to live. So I can just imagine how Andre's feeling. This must be just so different. And you can hear the laughter in the background and the happiness. < That's it. Keep your rhythm up. Andre, do you have a number in your head for the weight that you would like to be? Yeah, I do. But, ideally, I'd like to get down to 118kg, because that will mean a weight loss of 350kg. He's going to do it. The sky's the limit, really. I can do anything I want. The sky's the limit, really. I can do anything I want. That's right. Your wish did come true. (CHUCKLES) I think he might just do it. That's our show for tonight. Join us on Facebook and Twitter, Sunday TVNZ. Thanks for joining us this evening. Nga mihi nui, hei kona.