Brave amputee Tony Hudgell, 10, ‘over the moon’ as his football hero Harry Maguire visits him at Sheffield hospital
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BRAVE Tony Hudgell beams with delight as his football hero, Man United’s Harry Maguire, visits him in hospital bearing gifts. Tony, ten, whose legs were amputated due to abuse as a tot, met the defender, 31, soon after surgery on a broken hip at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
![[Brave Tony Hudgell met his Man United hero Harry Maguire]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ferrari-press-agency-double-amputee-958098703.jpg?strip=all&w=720)
Adoptive mum Paula Hudgell said: “He was over the moon.”. She added: “We weren’t sure he would be out of surgery in time, but Mr Fernandez the surgeon is phenomenal and he was out just in time to meet Harry.”. Earlier in the month, The Sun revealed Tony had undergone 'miracle' surgery.
![[Tony was 'over the moon' to meet England legend Maguire]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1868786106877329511-tony-hodgell-meets-harry-958108282.jpg?strip=all&w=720)
Mum Paula told The Sun: “It’s a complete miracle — the surgeon was absolutely incredible. “This isn’t the end of surgeries, but he won’t need another one for a while, so he is looking forward to playing football.”. “He can’t wait, he even kicked a ball a little while he was recovering, which he maybe shouldn’t have done - but it all worked out okay!”.
![[Tony with some signed Man Utd gear]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/1868786106877329511-tony-hodgell-meets-harry-958108280.jpg?strip=all&w=720)
Tony, who captured the hearts of the nation when he raised more than £2 million for the hospital that saved his life as a tot, was praised by his adoptive mum for his “resilience and determination”. The 10-year-old was subjected to a campaign of horrific abuse by his birth parents Anthony Smith and Jody Simpson, which left him with multiple fractures to his limbs at just six-weeks old.
