Melissa’s heartwarming family time
She’sstoked herboys arehealthy
When 1News presenter Melissa Stokes isn’t dolled up in front of the TV cameras delivering bulletins, or putting her reporting boots back on for the upcoming new series NowandThen, she’s packing lunchboxes and juggling kids’ sports.
Like any mum of two energetic boys, including a fussy eater and one with ADHD, Melissa, 41, has the big task of feeding sons Hugo, eight, and Freddie, six. And she admits it can be harder than working as one of New Zealand’s most familiar faces in news!
“I try hard to make sure they have proper food or healthy snacks every day, including veges, fruit, f it fibre fib and protein, but I don’t hit the mark every day,” admits Melissa, who is married to cameraman Dave Pierce, 44. “My kids have the same sweet tooth I do! But you can only try your best.”
While her boys are used to eating wholesome foods and getting their hearts pumping with weekend sports and backyard cricket at their Auckland home, there’s more to their mum’s passion for health than they realise.
“My dad Roger had a heart attack five years ago,” says the Big Heart Appeal ambassador. “Not a major one, but enough to have surgery for a stent. The stent opens up one of the heart’s arteries and lets the blood flow in and out. When they get clogged or damaged, you’re at risk of a heart attack.”
Part of the 72-year-old’s recovery has been a healthy diet and regular walks with
Melissa’s M li ’ mother th Gill Gill, 69. 69
“Being his daughter and a mum, the risk of heart disease is always on the periphery,” explains Melissa. “When something like that happens in your family, you think about your own mortality.”
Fortunately, Roger is back in good health.
“Dad’s doing great and we have no worries with him now,” shares Melissa. “Before he had the heart attack, he knew the symptoms and recognised the tingly feeling in his arm and went to hospital, which was good.”
Education is one reason Melissa jumped on board to support The Heart Foundation’s current appeal and spread the message.
“Heart disease is our biggest killer and one person dies every 90 minutes from it in this country,” she says. “There are easy ways we can help each other become healthier. h lthi I’ I’ve always l f followed ll d the motto JERF – Just Eat Real Food – which came from Mum and Dad.”
Since her boy has ADHD, Melissa opts for natural foods with lower sugar at home, admitting she notices a huge difference in her son.
“It’s much better for his brain and how it reacts to things,” she asserts. “I try and give him eggs or porridge for breakfast, and then he’s a lot calmer for the day, so it’s a big positive for us.
“With kids, it’s so easy to grab packet food and it’s hard being inventive with lunchboxes five days a week! But I always include the same apples, cucumber and carrot, and a tin of tuna.”
She concludes, “The boys don’t necessarily know why the mechanics of exercise and sport are good for their heart. But they know healthy eating and fitness are pretty core things in our family.”