Captain Harry to take charge of the Athelstone Football Club under-6 side

HARRY is four years old and has cerebral palsy. He is unable to walk — but on Sunday, he will realise one of his dreams when he becomes captain for the day of big brother Austin’s under-6 footy team.

WHEN Ben Waechter and his wife Suzi were told their second child had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, their world was shattered.

They knew it would mean their son, Harry, now 4, would face many difficulties growing up, including being unable to walk or talk properly.

“You go through a whole grief process,” Mr Waechter says.

“The life that you had dreamt for your child has been taken away from them. But in the end, we are just like every other parent and we just want our kid to be happy and to be healthy and everything else will take care of itself.”

Now the Waechter family is doing everything they can to help Harry have the best life possible and they are being given lots of support by the Athelstone Football Club.

This Sunday, Harry will become captain for the day of its under-6 side — the team of his older brother Austin.

Harry Waechter with his brother Austin and parents Ben and Suzie at their home. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Martin

Mr Waechter, a former Raggies player who was involved in the club’s 2005 and 2007 premierships, says the football club’s support means so much.

“We have a yes, no, communication with Harry and his ‘yes’ went for about 10 seconds, he’s so looking forward to being captain,” Mr Waechter says.

“We see him as just a boy that has a disability, rather than seeing the disability first.

“The club wanted to do something special for Harry and try to stop that frustration for him with living life on the sidelines. Athelstone is really like that country club in the city and it doesn't matter where you play or who you are, you are just a Raggie.”

Making Harry an honorary captain is also a way for the club to raise money for the Waechter family’s charity — KYD-X Ltd — which organises expos with information for other people caring for a someone with a disability.

“You don’t train to look after a child with a disability and you’re thrown into the deep end,” Mr Waechter says.

“We just wanted to make it easy for people who look after people with a disability.”

Athelstone’s under-6 team plays Salisbury at Max Amber Sportsfield on Sunday at 9.30am.

To donate to the charity, head to kyd-x.com.au