‘I faced my worst fear’
THE VETERAN JOURNALIST TESTED HER BRAVERY AS SHE SCALED A BUILDING TO RAISE MONEY FOR CHILDREN IN NEED
PICTURE THIS: YOU’RE STANDING in a tiny window cleaners’ cage at the top of a 300m-high building. Panic sets in as a gust of wind nearly knocks you off your feet. “I can’t do this,” you think to yourself as your knees buckle and your hands shake. That situation was Melissa Doyle’s reality on April 8. As part of her ambassador role for the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, the reporter and host of Sunday Night bravely vowed to face her fear of heights and stand in a cage outside the 91st floor of the Eureka Tower building in Melbourne.
“It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done by far,” the Smooth FM weekend breakfast host, 49, told WHO exclusively. “I tried to convince myself that I would be fine, but when they put me in the basket, lifted me over the edge and I was just hanging there, I thought to myself, ‘Oh my God, what have I done? I am going to die.’ But I just kept telling myself to suck it up.”
While she still maintains that she’ll never jump out of a plane, Doyle successfully conquered her fear of heights and in the process not only gained the admiration of her two children, Nicholas and Talia,
but learnt a valuable lesson – nothing is as difficult as it seems.
“Once I got up there and I opened my eyes and saw the beautiful view, I realised just how lucky I was to be given that opportunity. I think I realised that feeling nerves and facing your fears can be healthy for you. And I like the thought of pushing myself and trying new things,” she says.
Since joining forces with the charity, the author and silver Logie nominee has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those who are vulnerable. Her most recent effort, which saw her raise more than $1500, will go towards the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, which helps children who have been exposed to domestic violence.
“What we do makes such a practical difference. I have children and I can’t imagine how scary it would be for a child to be pulled out of bed in the middle of the night due to a violent situation,” she says. “We provide Buddy Bags for the little ones so they can have a teddy bear and a toothbrush and pyjamas.” The veteran journalist adds: “We make a tangible difference.”