Matilda Kearns and the Australian Stingers will compete for gold in the women’s water polo final at the Paris Olympics, but a devastating family moment could have changed their path if not for the quick action of her parents.
Eighteen years ago, a near-tragic accident nearly cost Phil Kearns’ daughter, Matilda’s sister Andie, her life.
The former Wallabies star, who played 67 rugby matches and captained the team 10 times, accidentally ran over his 19-month-old daughter in the driveway of his home in 2005, a horrific accident that almost proved fatal.
Kearns, a two-time rugby world champion, was returning home after a morning swim with his three other children, including Matilda, when the accident happened.
“I got to the end of the driveway and saw there was a newspaper on the grass. I had one of the kids jump up and pick it up,” he said.
As the car moved forward he felt a bump and thought he had run over a newspaper.
‘My son yelled, “You just ran her over,” and it’s lucky he had the presence of mind to do it, otherwise he would have run her over with the other (rear) wheel.’
Kearns jumped up and picked up his daughter, initially thinking she just had a few scratches.
Matilda ‘Tilly’ Kearns was there the day her wallaby dad Phil accidentally ran over her sister Andie in the family driveway.
Wallaby Phil Kearns is pictured holding his 20-month-old daughter Andie in 2005, the year a tragic accident nearly claimed his life.
The former Wallaby does not like to talk about the current incident, but is actively involved in charity work to help save young lives.
Within seconds, it was clear that she was seriously injured.
“His eyes rolled back in his head. It was obvious he wasn’t doing well. He went from pink to grey to white to blue,” she said.
Kearns dialed triple-0 and his wife Julie followed the operator’s advice.
“Julie saved her life. She tilted Andie’s head back and within seconds it was white again,” he said.
It took seven minutes for paramedics to arrive. Kearns was later told that if it had taken two more minutes, Andie would not have survived.
When paramedics arrived, Kearns said, “the paramedic came in and saw her. He grabbed her head and said, ‘Grab her body.’ So we ran.”
Matilda, centre, spends time with her famous father Phil, right, at a Wallabies match.
Andie (pictured with her parents) was hospitalised and put in intensive care for three weeks but was able to overcome her injuries.
Andie spent three weeks in intensive care, requiring life support and a respirator. Uncontrollable bleeding forced her entire blood volume to be replaced by transfusion.
The family is not speaking openly about the incident, with Kearns previously saying: “We haven’t felt the need to go back and revisit the situation.”
However, her work with the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, which provides medical equipment and healthcare to sick children, has been significant.
The Kearns have facilitated the purchase of 130 pieces of equipment for hospitals across the country.
In a remarkable coincidence, a critical piece of medical machinery they helped fund was later delivered to a local hospital and saved Andie’s life.
Kearns’ Balmoral Burn project, which began with a goal of raising $10,000, has now raised more than $32.2 million for Humpty Dumpty, providing essential life-saving medical equipment to sick and injured children.
‘Tilly’ Kearns was born with elite sport running through her veins.
Her father played during the Wallabies’ most successful era in the 1990s, while her mother, Julie, introduced her to the Olympics two weeks before giving birth.
“My parents went to the Sydney 2000 Opening Ceremony and I was in my mother’s womb and was born the day after the Closing Ceremony,” Kearns said.
Kearns (pictured) and the Stingers reached the final with a surprise victory over defending champions United States.
Now Tilly is in the final of the Paris Games with her Australian Stingers teammates, determined to emulate the gold medal won by the Australian women in Sydney 24 years ago, when women’s water polo made its first appearance at the Olympics.
The Stingers finished fifth at Kearns’ first Olympics in Tokyo, a result she called disappointing for multiple reasons.
They will face Spain for the gold medal after the Europeans beat the Netherlands 19-18 in another penalty shoot-out match that ended 14-14 in regular time.