Mai FM host K’Lee McNabb can’t wait to actually be relaxing and celebrating with her family this Christmas.
“Last year, we were super- cautious,” she admits, “Even though we were out of lockdown, it was a really tense time.”
K’Lee, 39, was on high alert as her daughter Honour, who arrived 12 weeks early in February 2021, has a chronic lung condition, so common illnesses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and colds can be life-threatening.
Honour spent the first five months of her life in Auckland City Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit and has since been admitted back for life-saving treatment many times, leaving K’Lee and her partner Lama Saga, 39, feeling helpless and exhausted.
Things are looking up this year, though. “We’re feeling really positive as Honour’s health is a lot better, plus this Christmas will be extra-special as my parents will be able to spend it with us for the first time in five years!”
Her parents Carol, 60, and Bruce, 64, who live on the Gold Coast, haven’t had many opportunities to meet little Honour. “Unfortunately, it took ages before Mum was able to see her,” tells K’Lee. “It was during the whole COVID and RSV breakout, and visitors were limited to just parents. Dad hasn’t seen her since the first time she went to hospital with RSV. I’m sure Honour thinks they live in my phone!”
Although Honour isn’t out of the woods yet – she’s been in and out of hospital since February – K’Lee is choosing to look at the positives.
“She hasn’t had to have as much oxygen when she goes into hospital and she’s bouncing back a lot faster,” the former pop star says with a smile. “We’re not spending seven or eight weeks in hospital any more – it’s one or two weeks max and we’re not going to ICU any more.
“She’s walking, talking, climbing and singing. She’s cheeky, and she’s running around and playing just like any other nearly two-year-old. She’s got four other brothers and sisters to compete with, and she definitely holds her own!”
Honour’s siblings – Illiana, 15, Kahuriki, 14, Kaylam, eight, and Naila, four – adore the youngest member of the family and are very protective of her.
“The kids have been amazing throughout the last two years,” says K’Lee. “Wrapping around her, wrapping around us and just understanding what’s going on. My oldest two are absolute lifesavers. It was my daughter who called the ambulance while Lama was performing CPR when Honour stopped breathing out of the blue.”
K’Lee says she isn’t super- conventional when it comes to Christmas. “I’m about as traditional as throwing a chicken in the oven or organising a pig on a spit,” she laughs. But there are a few things the family always does.
“On Christmas Eve, we all gather around the phone to sing carols and waiata with the whānau overseas. Before the kids go to bed, we set out Santa’s letters and cookies along with the reindeer’s carrots, and we watch The Polar Express. And we always have pancakes with fresh cream and strawberries for breakfast on Christmas Day.”
The wee cutie, pictured after her first birthday, is meeting her milestones, tells K’Lee, with the help of her whānau (from left) Illiana, Naila, dad Lama, Kahuriki and (front) Kaylam.
This summer, K’Lee and Lama are taking the kids on a road trip, exploring Whakatāne and its nearby beaches.
“It’s too expensive to travel overseas with five kids,” chuckles K’Lee. “And let’s face it, who wants to be cooped up in a plane with five kids? We’ve done the camper-van thing and we won’t be doing that again! So we’ll be pitching a tent and spending time with the people we love. I can’t wait.”
It’ll be a welcome break for the radio announcer, who calculates she has worked every day for the past seven weeks. Along with her 10am-3pm show on Mai, K’Lee has also been working as a Rugby World Cup champion.
“I’ve been really trying to get behind women in sport,” she explains. “It’s important that we recognise there is such inequality in how we respond to the games and how much they get paid.
“We’ve also been making sure people understand the tikanga behind the use of poi. A poi is a taonga, not a plaything. In saying that, every game I went to, it was so respectful and wholesome.”
K’Lee has been so busy with work, health scares and parenting that no wedding plans have been put in place, despite Lama proposing during a trip to Taupo- in 2020.
“With all of the dramas, we really haven’t had time to think about it,” she laughs. “All we’ve discussed is that we definitely want a summer wedding. We’re on the same page that as long as we have good food and great live music, we’re good.
“I think we should just put up a tent in the middle of the field and try not to have noise control called on us!”
