Shannon McAlpine, the 16 year old daughter of media personality Helena McAlpine, has given a candid, brave insight into her life since her mum lost her battle with breast cancer in November 2015.
In an exclusive interview with Woman’s Day, the apprentice hairstylist and New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation advocate told how she was able to cope with 37-year-old Helena’s passing.
“I just knew I needed to be there for my family, for the people who were really struggling. At the time, I hated Mum for all the s*** she’d done to me. I had spent a lot of time with her and these guys hadn’t. I had to give them the benefit of the doubt that they’d had a much better relationship with her than I did.”
Shannon also spoke out about her difficulty coming to terms with the romantic relationship that has developed between Helena’s husband, Christopher Barton and her best friend, musician Hollie Smith, admitting she believed it would have “pissed mum off.”
The teen revealed her stepdad Brett McAlpine and boyfriend Rene Owen, 19, have been her rocks since Helena’s death. Rene, a spray painter and furniture remover, also lost his mum to cancer when he was just seven years old.
But unlike Shannon, whose mum fought a very public campaign, he wasn’t involved or educated about his mum’s illness.
Brave Shannon, who admits she’s been no angel in the past, with court appearances and twice being expelled from school, believes she’s inherited much of Helena’s vibrant personality. “I definitely have Mum’s attitude and her temper,” she says. “The older I get, the angrier I’ve become. I’m just as rude as she was! But there are some good things I’ve inherited too.”
For the full story and all the pictures, pick up your copy of this week’s Woman’s Day.
For more from Woman’s Day, visit our Facebook page, and follow us on Instagram.