A still from the Cam Calkoen YouTube video. Photo / Tom Grut
A still from the Cam Calkoen YouTube video. Photo / Tom Grut
Koen McKenzie never utters the words 'I can't'.
It wasn't allowed the McKenzie household as he grew up.
Koen, 12, who was born with celebral palsy, says parents Portia and Cameron banned negative speak from a young age so backing out of trying new things was not an option. ''We don'tlisten to 'I can't,'' Portia says.
And the answer to star in a YouTube promotional advertisement playing a young Cam Calkoen was definitely ''I can!''
Cam was also born with celebral palsy and is now one of New Zealand's inspirational speakers. Cam never allowed his disability to hinder his life and became an athlete representing New Zealand and climbed Mt Kilimanjaro.
Koen, who lives in Waihi Beach, let it be known his dream was to act. Cam ideally wanted a boy with celebral palsy to play him in the promo and Koen was recruited.
The video shows Koen as a young Cam being told he would forever would be dependent on others. The video shows Cam's strength of character and determination to overcome and be what he wanted.
Filming took place in December last year over three days.
''I loved it so much,'' Koen says. ''It was fascinating. I loved how they put it all together and they made me look so good!''
Koen also contributed by improvising some shots such as the "mic drop" scene. Portia contacted Cam for support some years ago after seeing his videos.
''I was kind of at a low point and he emailed me back and he was really supportive so when Koen has the opportunity to do this... it was amazing. Koen and Cam are so similar in their mindsets and the clip is almost just as much about Koen's life as it is Cam's life.''
Like Cam, Koen won't let anything in his life stop him from fulfilling his dreams. Koen was born with a mild form of celebral palsy. A lack of oxygen during birth meant his brain is not sending messages to his body correctly. It affects the left side of his body (hemiplegic).
''The nerves broke when I had a lack of oxygen so it affects my left leg. It also affects my hand eye co-ordination.
''But basically I don't think about it, I don't just do that. I can do other things. I try my best at sport but I know that I won't become great at it, so I try my hardest at other things I'm really good at like such as acting singing, talking...''
Koen McKenzie featured in a YouTube clip for Cam Kalkoen. Both have celebral palsy. Photo / Rebecca Mauger
Portia and Cameron wanted to do everything they could to build his confidence as he grew up.
''It's all about making sure he is as confident as he can be so he can overcome any of the issues he is going to deal with in his life,'' Portia says.
Confidence came in abundance when they enrolled him in drama, music and singing lessons which he has been involved in since age 5. He's starred in musicals, drama productions and competed in singing competitions.
Koen was once told by a physiotherapist he was unlikely to ride a bike.
It took him three years and a lot of injuries but he has mastered cycling and biked to school for a year.
Koen is with Waihi Drama Society and has performed in Bugsy Malone and plays a monkey in The Twits this weekend. He plays a lead in Waihi College's school dark musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street next year.
Koen is not sure what he will do when he's older, but knows it will include acting.
''I know for sure that wherever I am, somehow, some way, it is always going to include acting. I think I am probably the only over-achieving, extrovert 12-year-old with celebral palsy.''
