Friend’s legacy for Johann’s daughter
MAT Teamoke is working hard to leave behind a legacy for Johann Ofner’s daughter to inherit, one year on from the Gold Coast stuntman’s tragic death.
Mr Ofner, 28, affectionally known as ‘Yogi’, was fatally shot in the chest at close range by a prop gun during the filming of a Bliss n Eso music video in January last year.
The rising reality television star and father-of-one left behind seven-year-old daughter, Kyarna.
Since his death, business partner and friend Mr Teamoke has been working behind the scenes to build up their co-owned clothing label, AMPM, and branch out into other areas.
In June last year, Mr Teamoke helped to realise one of Mr Ofner’s dreams – opening a gym offering calisthenics workshops and lessons to the public.
“This was just one of the items on a list we discussed before he passed,” he said.
“It’s obviously his legacy, it’s something I can do and one day hopefully give it to Kyarna.
“That’s the end goal as I’m away a lot as an oil and gas engineer.”
Mr Teamoke said he felt building the business up was the best thing he could do for Mr Ofner’s family and fondly remembered how he could still remember Mr Ofner carrying baby Kyarna in a bassinet at the train station to visit him.
He said Kyarna meant “the world to him.”
Mr Teamoke said it was likely Kyarna’s mother, Samaya Grace, would try to keep the January date as normal as possible.
“She starts school this week, and she’ll try not to let her be too distracted,” he said. “We miss him like crazy and there’s been lots of ups and downs. had just started for him.”
On Saturday the AMPM studio held an opening day at their Miami gym, which saw hundreds of visitor come Everything happening through the doors.
Visitors would also have seen a newly painted mural depicting Mr Ofner, spray painted by Fresh Ink Tattoo.
A memorial page for Johann Ofner will also be launched on January 23 and Mr Teampoke hopes to open an ‘outdoor’ gym in the near future.
The coronial investigation into Mr Ofner’s death is not yet finalised.