TERRY DUNN IS MY HERO
When I grow up I want to be just like Terry Dunn.
Terry has a connection to the mountains and a bond with the ocean and has lived his life accordingly. This Master Mariner Ski Legend changes lives wherever he goes like he changed mine when I was a 15-year-old.
Terry taught me to sail as a teen. He gave my friend Emma and me a Nolex 30, a handful of instructions, a boatload of encouragement, and we set sail. We sailed the Bay of Islands for a week, memory-banking a school experience and epic adventure that would not be quite so free these days. We nicknamed him Terry Teo after a cartoon character of the day, a quintessentially Kiwi, skateboarding kid, superhero character. We appointed Terry our superhero and continued to talk about him for years.
During that week at sea Terry explained that he worked on snow in the winter and on the sea in the summer and my worldview changed. He instilled in me the notion that you could just dream stuff up and then go and do it. Who knew? He taught me that life could be whatever you made of it. Seed planted.
Terry grew up in Wellington, a big brother to two sisters. His life was full of adventures and outdoor fun. But Terry’s father was a Seed Planter too. Terry’s Dad taught him two related core values: always help others, and think ahead to anticipate what’s next. These principles underpin all of Terry’s actions. He is profoundly kind, he will help you, his spirit is sincerely generous, his nature is giving, and his heart is pure. Terry is always looking ahead to see where he can lend a hand.
Terry’s mantra is ‘I just want to have a nice time’. Don’t be fooled - while Terry is ‘just having a nice time’ he is deliberately in the service of others. It might just look like he’s galivanting about the world sailing and skiing, but it is a trick of the eye. He is sprinkling an infectious love of the moment, wringing every last drop of fun out of the day, connecting deeply with people and being excited about everything. His influence is covert: when you’re with Terry you feel alive in a different way. Terry makes you feel seen, excited, motivated and joyful. Terry’s Jedi mind trick is enthusiasm by stealth.
Terry’s network of friends is immense, all drawn in by the force of his nature. One recently said to me, “The world needs more people like Terry Dunn”. Amen, brother. Terry has a unique energy, a forcefield of pure fun. He radiates delight and will draw you into his orbit of joy with a big smile, a mega hug or a jab in the ribs. Terry’s dress sense emphasises his personality: is it bright, it is bold, and it screams fun. A day with Terry will leave you sunburnt, dehydrated and happily exhausted by all the fun. Terry’s magic trick is inspiring you to do the thing you were only just thinking you might do.
Terry has transformed many lives and businesses through the years, managing Tūkino Ski Club, running the Great Escape Sailing School and Hire, sailing as a Master on the R. Tucker Thompson, undertaking many yacht deliveries, and most recently taking over as Commodore of the Opua Yacht Club as a way to give back. He is a beautiful husband, landlord, leader, uncle, and mentor of epic proportions; all of which quadruples if he has a glass of wine or two onboard. He is a thinker, genuinely caring, kind beyond measure, and a good bugger. We all feel incredibly fortunate to have Terry in our lives.
Terry is my hero. I admire this man completely. He is my champion and cheerleader, he is always helping me and encouraging me in my pursuits. He listens carefully to my plans, scanning the conversation for ways he can help me to achieve my goals. We recently laughed about how much it hurts to have outdoor fun as we get older, both recalling and butchering the essence of this Hunter S. Thompson quote “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!””
This is what it is like to hang with this man. Terry Teo loves life and he personifies adventure. I am profoundly grateful to be his friend.