This Week
4 WEDNESDAY 25 July 2012
Crash survivor gets own home Phillip Rollo
Mark Cooper’s life was turned upside down when he blacked out at the wheel of his truck in 2010. He was driving back following a day of mustering when the accident occurred. “I fell asleep or blacked out. I think I got a bit cold,” says Mark. “I didn’t go around the corner. I went off the edge and over head to tail three times and sideways once.” The 21 year old Tapawera resident suffered severe spinal injuries leaving him without the use of 70 per cent of his body. He was in a coma for the first ten days, spent the next month in intensive care and the following six months in Burwood Hospital’s spinal unit. Following further rehabilitation, Mark reached a significant milestone last week when was finally handed the keys to his new home on Wednesday, having lived in a Richmond motel for the past 12 months. The Cooper family is still in “a battle” with ACC over the payment of the house, which has delayed Mark’s move back to Tapawera
and a chance to regain some independency. Mark was living in accommodation supplied by his employers in Fairlie, which is located two and a half hours south of Christchurch. “We got to the point where we had to bite the bullet. What we wanted and what he wanted was to move into his own home,” says his mother Julie Cooper. “It’s a bit bitter sweet but it’s fantastic to finally get him home where he can build his life back up.” Due to the size of the farm the Coopers live on, a self contained unit was able to be transported from Richmond, where it was built by Skyline Buildings. Julie says the family chose to deal with Skyline Buildings because of its history of working with people in similar situations to Mark. It has two bedrooms, one for himself and a carer. Mark says the space and access
are the best things about his new home. “Just being able to get around without breaking stuff and running into stuff. I’m quite happy with it.” Mark is a former Tapawera Area School student who also spent his senior years at Waimea College. He was a keen dog trialist and a skier. He also enjoyed “mucking around” with friends in his spare time.
Mark hopes to compete again one day in a dog trial and also has aspirations to get back into the workforce. “I just take it as I come but if I get the right set up I can get my way back into dog work. You can’t get too worked up but it’s going to happen one day.” He is also hopeful to one day drive again, in a custom built car.
I would rather have them with me than against me, add it up.
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Mark Cooper, 21, receives the keys to his new home by Skyline Buildings project manager Sandee England and sales manager Dave Flowerday. Mark finally moved home following a workrelated accident in December 2010. Photo: Phillip Rollo.
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