BRAVE Tony Hudgell beams with joy as his football hero, Man United's Harry Maguire, visits him in hospital with presents.
Tony, ten, whose legs were amputated due to abuse as a toddler, met the defender, 31, shortly after surgery for a broken hip at Sheffield Children's Hospital.
Adoptive mother Paula Hudgell said: “He was over the moon.”
She added: “We weren't sure he would get out of the operating room in time, but Mr Fernandez, the surgeon, is phenomenal and he got out just in time to meet Harry.”
Earlier this month, The Sun revealed Tony had undergone 'miracle surgery'.
Mum Paula told The Sun: “It's a complete miracle – the surgeon was absolutely incredible.
“This isn't the end of the operations, but he won't need any more for a while, so he's looking forward to playing football.”
“He can't wait, he even kicked the ball a bit during his recovery, which maybe he shouldn't have done – but it all turned out fine!”
Tony, who captured the hearts of the nation when he raised more than £2 million for the hospital that saved his life as a toddler, has been praised by his adoptive mother for his 'resilience and determination'.
The 10-year-old was subjected to a campaign of horrific abuse by his biological parents Anthony Smith and Jody Simpson, which left him with multiple fractures to his limbs at just six weeks old.
The evil pair, who were both jailed for ten years in 2018, then waited ten days before seeking medical help, by which time Tony had also developed multiple organ failure and blood poisoning.
Medical staff from Evelina London Children's Hospital saved his life, but when he was four years old his injuries forced him to have both legs amputated at the knee.
Following tireless campaigning by the schoolboy, 'Tony's Law' was introduced in 2022 to increase the maximum prison sentence for anyone who causes or permits bodily harm to, or death of, a child in their care.
As a result, he became the youngest person ever to receive the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2024 New Year Honors for his services in preventing child abuse.
He is now working with 'Bionic MP' Lord Craig Mackinlay and gold medal-winning Paralympian Richard Whitehead to advocate for better limb loss support, while raising money to provide Christmas presents to needy children.
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