LIGHTS, CAMERA CARLENE!
The deserving mum’s got her groove back
She had her first child at 21, and ever since, Carlene Holt has dedicated her life to others. Raising her four children, caring for her two grandchildren and working full-time, she’s always put the happiness and health of her friends and family above all else.
But after a tough year, which included a near-death health scare, for once selfless solo mum Carlene decided to be “selfish” and jumped at the opportunity to win a weeklong makeover – that included a photo shoot with Woman’sDay – thanks to Three’s TheProject. “A makeover would be amazing as I feel washed out and basically look like poos. Please help,” she wrote on her application. And to her surprise, a couple of weeks later, a knock at the door revealed The Fab Four, including Kanoa Lloyd, Jeremy Corbett, Justine Smith, Megan Annear and The Breeze’s Robert Scott on her doorstep. And they had some incredible news – she’d won!
“I was in shock,” admits the 53-year-old Aucklander. “Earlier that day I’d been made redundant and then when they turned up saying I had won, my emotions were high.”
And no-one is happier for the doting mum than her four children, Laine, 30, Jade, 28, Kaedyn, 18, and Sharn, 14.
“I was just stoked – she really deserves it because she’s always there for others and never puts herself first,” tells Jade, adding that her mum is her best friend and a fabulous grandmother to her two children, Trilese, seven, and two-year-old Coen.
The win was also good timing for Carlene, who has been battling health issues that began last December while she was helping a neighbour trim some trees.
“I got through four branches and I knew something wasn’t right,” she recalls. “All I could think was that I needed to get back
inside and onto the bed.
I couldn’t lift my arms and I couldn’t breathe properly.”
Thankfully, Carlene made it, which was where Kaedyn found her. Within minutes, they knew it was serious and the brave teenager called an ambulance.
“I was calm,” he recalls. “Obviously, I know that she’s strong and I didn’t feel like I would lose her at all, so I was calm in the situation and kept everyone in the loop.”
Rushed to Auckland Hospital, a stent was placed in a valve and Carlene was later transported to North Shore Hospital, but she didn’t improve as doctors had hoped and a pacemaker was put in.
While she was back at work by mid-January, the road to recovery wasn’t easy – she has suffered from anxiety and stays close to home, fearing something happening to her when she’s in a public space around strangers – but her scare has had a silver lining.
“All the people she supports have come to help her and it’s been really good for her to realise how much she does for other people,” explains Jade.
The experience also sparked an unexpected romance for the loving gran!
“When I was in hospital, I made a list of five people who I needed to contact and I promised myself that if I got out, I would,” shares Carlene. “One of them was my 18-yearold’s dad, who I hadn’t spoken to in 16 years. I thought I needed to sort it out and open the door for him and Kaedyn. But it didn’t go that way – it opened the door for him and me!”
Explaining that they’re taking things slowly, Carlene says her former partner is very supportive of her, even sending texts telling her that for the makeover she should just be herself.
And while she admits the whole experience has been a little overwhelming and tiring, she insists it’s been worth it. Although it will be financially difficult, she’ll take time out to relax and will look at switching up her clothing, while ditching her go-to pair of tights and oversized top in a bid to pay more attention to her appearance.
“I’m going to stop going out in a rubbish bag and put a little make-up on,” she vows. “Now it’s time for me to give a rat’s a***.”
And son Sharn is thrilled with Carlene’s newfound confidence. “She always says she doesn’t look nice even when she does, so hopefully after this, she takes a look in the mirror and sees that she looks good.”