Corey Choat and Ian Jones reunited for another picture together after 28 years.
Corey Choat and Ian Jones reunited for another picture together after 28 years.
When eight-year-old Corey Choat and his older sister Sally met All Black Ian Jones 28 years ago, they were like any other two Kiwi kids who had just met their rugby hero.
Choat’s dad knew someone who knew someone, and nek minnit, the family were at an All Blacks training session at North Harbour Stadium, meeting the players they had only seen on TV.
Fast-forward almost three decades, and Choat got the chance to rub shoulders with Ironman Jones again as the Due Drop Challenge team - Jones, mental health advocate Mike King, former triathlete Ric Wells, ex-NRL and Kiwi rugby league player Richie Barnett and their entourage - passed through the City of Sails on Saturday on their way to Wellington.
Choat’s mum had reminded him of the picture the family had taken all those years ago, and Jones was only too happy to pose again to update their family photo album.
All Black Ian Jones with Sally and Corey Choat in 1995. Photo / Supplied
Jones is part of the athletic team supporting Mike King’s Due Drop Challenge, which is raising money for Gumboot Friday, a service that gives young Kiwis free and fast access to qualified counselling. This service relies on the continued generosity of many New Zealanders.
Sally Walton took her own life in September 2019.
“It was an absolute privilege to meet Ian Jones again and just to admire the work he Mike and the rest of the team are doing for Gumboot Friday,” Choat, an architectural designer, told the Herald.
“Jones had always been a hero of ours, so to meet him again was fantastic. I met him on my eighth birthday - it was the weekend of the Fiji-All Blacks match and we went to the training.
“We got a lot of photos with a lot of the North Harbour guys, and me and my sister Sally got a picture.”
But missing from the updated picture was Choat’s sister Sally Walton, who died in September 2019, aged 34, after taking her own life.
She left behind a husband, two children and friends and family who still miss her dearly.
Choat got to talk to Jones about his sister and the fundraising he himself has done to support Gumboot Friday.
“I cannot thank guys like Ian Jones and Mike King enough for putting their bodies on the line for free counselling,” Choat said.
Choat will take to running again to raise funds in memory of his sister, who suffered mental health issues all her life. He started a “Running for Sal” campaign.
Last year, Choat raised thousands of dollars across a range of activities, including running up Mt Maunganui and running for one minute for every person who committed suicide in 2021. He ran for 10 hours and seven minutes.
“Sally had a long battle with mental health from her young teens,” Choat said.
“She was in and out of hospital, and at the time of her passing, we thought she was doing well. She had two young kids and a husband.
“It was a very difficult time for our family, and seeing what Gumboot Friday and I Am Hope are providing for our young people is fantastic,” Choat said.
“We don’t want other families to go through what we did, so that’s why we support the Due Drop Challenge and Gumboot Friday.
Safe to talk (sexual harm): Call 0800 044 334 or text 4334
All services are free and available 24/7 unless otherwise specified.
For more information and support, talk to your local doctor, hauora, community mental health team, or counselling service. The Mental Health Foundation has more helplines and service contacts on its website.
