Tony Hudgell, who had his legs amputated after suffering horrific abuse at the hands of his biological parents, turned 10 today.
The 10-year-old from Kent, who met the Princess of Wales several times and Queen Consort Camilla, received a gushing tribute post on Instagram from his adoptive mother Paula.
He praised the “incredible” Tony, who recently underwent life-changing surgery in Sheffield to allow him to be more mobile in his teenage and adult years, and wrote: “Happy 10th birthday to our incredible football nut, “Tony, crazy about Chelsea.”
‘You were a true fighter from the day you were born and you have been fighting every day since. We couldn’t be more proud to call you our son.
You have achieved more in your ten short years than anyone could achieve in a lifetime – always proud of you – definitely a force of nature and you may drive me crazy every day, but we love you to the moon and back.
Double amputee Tony Hudgell (pictured) from Kent, who has met the Princess of Wales on multiple occasions, celebrated his 10th birthday today.
Paula went on to list some of Tony’s achievements, including raising more than £2 million for charities and becoming the youngest person to receive a British Empire Medal from King Charles for services to preventing abuse. childish.
He added: “We are looking forward to seeing what more can be achieved in the next ten years.”
‘You show people every day that the worst possible and unimaginable start in life defines and will not define the person you are today.
“I always said you survived for a reason and now I believe you can change the world to make it a better place for so many children.”
Inspired by Captain Tom Moore’s fundraising walk in 2020, at the age of just five, Tony walked 10km with his prosthetic legs during June 2020 to raise money.
As well as raising an impressive sum, the young man also inspired a change in English law, known as ‘Tony’s Law’, enacted in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
Tony’s Law requires longer prison sentences for those convicted of child cruelty and neglect.
Tony’s biological parents, Anthony Smith and Jody Simpson, were each jailed for ten years in 2018 for the torture they inflicted on their 41-day-old son in 2014, leaving him with injuries including broken fingers and toes and torn ligaments.
Pictured: The Princess of Wales with Tony Hudgell during a visit to officially open the Evelina London Children’s Day Surgery Unit at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, London in December 2023.
Tony is pictured after undergoing major surgery after his biological parents inflicted life-changing injuries on him as a baby.
On Instagram, Tony’s adoptive mother, Paula, shared a gushing post to mark the special occasion.
Despite suffering unspeakable abuse in the early days of his life, little Tony has grown into a kind and determined boy who has raised around £2 million for charity by walking long distances on his crutches.
Tony has previously been hailed as a hero by Prince William and his wife Kate for his extraordinary fundraising walks to help vulnerable children.
He set out to raise £500 for the hospital that saved his life by walking 10km in 30 days in 2020, after being inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore, who raised more than £33 million by walking in his backyard.
In 2021, a foundation created in his name to improve the lives of children affected by physical, emotional or psychological abuse provided more than 700 Christmas gifts for young people in need, and also continued the tradition last Christmas.
The 10-year-old’s phenomenal fundraising achievements come despite an incredibly difficult start to life that saw him undergo 23 operations and eight blood transfusions.
The horrific abuse he was subjected to by his biological parents left him with serious injuries and the baby also developed sepsis because Smith and Simpson waited 10 days before taking him to the hospital.
Her luck changed after her life was saved by specialists at the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, of which the Princess of Wales is an official patron.
Then, in 2016, he finally found a loving home with Paula and Mark, who have campaigned tirelessly for Tony’s interests since welcoming him into the family, including a proposal for Tony’s Law, which introduced harsher sentences for cruelty childish.
They have also encouraged his fundraising efforts to help other children, which has seen him rub shoulders with very famous figures.
After completing his big walk, Tony met the Prince and Princess of Wales, who “spent a lot of time” chatting to the youngster when the couple attended the Together At Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey last year.
He also met Prince Harry along with a host of celebrities and was singled out for inspiration by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this year.
Despite the attention, Paula said of Tony, “He takes it all in stride, so to speak.” He is just amazing.
He is a very sociable person. It can capture a room full of people and it will talk to all of them.’
In December, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis sent letters to Tony at his mother’s annual Christmas service.
It comes after double amputee Tony attended Buckingham Palace for a “special” private tea party with Queen Camilla and was awarded a British Empire Medal.
The 10-year-old was “delighted” in June when he was invited to attend one of King Charles’s garden parties, only to be bitterly disappointed when he got stuck in traffic on the M20 while making the journey from Maidstone in Kent. .
Later that night, he received a word of comfort from Palace officials who, in response to the day’s misfortune, promised to conjure up another date, assuring Tony: “Leave it to us.”
On a Wednesday afternoon in July, the Palace kept its word and an ecstatic Tony joined Queen Camilla for a private tea party at the Summer House.
A ROYAL INVITATION: Tony (pictured) shows off the invitation he received to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace.
Last December, Tony and his mother Paula met the Princess of Wales for the second time at the Westminster Hospital Day Centre.
Despite having previously met Kate at the Princess’ Christmas Carol Concert at Westminster Abbey in 2021, and again at the Day Center in Westminster, Tony seemed shy when he agreed with his mother that the Princess of Wales is “beautiful”.
Shaking their hands, Queen Camilla said: “It is a pleasure to have you here today.” We thought about giving you a special garden party.
Tony presented Her Majesty with a bouquet and she seemed delighted to receive it.
And you’ll be in for a treat, as high tea at the palace includes crustless sandwiches, Kingsguard-style iced cookies, miniature profiteroles, strawberry tarts and squares of chocolate cake, topped with a crown.
A beaming Tony was awarded a British Empire Medal for his fundraising efforts and bravery by the Queen, who said she was “very happy” after the royal afternoon.
He said: ‘I was supposed to go to a garden party but we got stuck in traffic. My mom posted a tweet. The Queen’s team said: “How sad you couldn’t make it to the garden party today.”
“We found out he was having a private meeting with another person named Lyla.”
