Mackay’s Brayden Foxley-Conolly rises from bullying to sporting success

A rising para-athlete has spoken candidly about the challenges he has faced since multiple amputations as a child. Now he has his sights set on the 2032 Paralympics Games.

When Amanda Foxley-Conolly’s son was two years old, he became very sick and she thought “that’s his life was over”, but she was thankfully proven wrong.

Brayden Foxley-Conolly was only 20 months old when he contracted meningococcal and was flown from Mackay to Brisbane, and only a month later he had multiple amputations.

Brayden lost his right hand, left thumb, one or two joints from each left finger, his left leg at the knee and three toes from the right foot.

Mackay's Brayden Foxley-Conolly aims to go to the Paralympics in 2032 for wheelchair basketball. Picture: Contributed

The Mackay boy had to learn how to walk again.

Ms Foxley-Conolly said Brayden had been bullied profusely throughout his schooling life, while also battling many medical issues.

“Still to this day,” Ms Foxley-Conolly said.

“You just have to bring them up the best you can, I don’t lie to him, you will get bullied and you need to deal with it.

“He has received name calling and some of it has even been said in front me.”

The single mum would stay awake most nights worrying about Brayden’s self-esteem and his lack of a social life.

“He went to school and came home and did nothing, and would not go out of the house,” she said.

“As a mum, you always worry about your kids, but with their mental health you lose sleep about how they are going.”

Brayden Foxley-Conolly and Amanda Foxley-Conolly discuss their very close bond. Picture: Contributed

But everything changed when Brayden found wheelchair basketball in 2016, when he was 11 years old .

In the past six years of playing wheelchair basketball, he has won a silver medal in the Australian Junior Nationals in 2017, and has played in state championships twice.

“But once basketball came, it was a sigh of relief as he is happy, more confident and has self esteem, and that is all you want for your kids,” Ms Foxley-Conolly said.

“It has totally changed his outlook on life and as a parent that is all you want.”

North Queensland Sportstar Awards Athlete with a Disability award recipient Grant 'Scooter' Patterson and runner up Brayden Foxley-Conolly were congratulated by Olympic speed skater Steven Bradbury and Think Mobility NQ general manager Sonya Hill at the awards. Picture: Towers Filmworks

Brayden said he refused to let the bullying affect his self-esteem, his focus being on wheelchair basketball and the friends he has made along the way.

“I like being around people who have the same disability as me,” Brayden said.

“Now that I am with wheelchair baseball I don’t get affected by bullying anymore, it does not bother me.

“Kids don’t understand we are all the same and have equal rights.”

Brayden Foxley-Conolly played wheelchair basketball for Mackay in the Regional competition. Picture: Contributed

Brayden is training hard for the national competition Kevin Coombs Cup in Ballarat on April 10.

He also aims to compete in the Brisbane Paralympics Games in 2032.

“I just recently heard it was in Brisbane so am going to push for that one, it is definitely on my cards,” Brayden said.

Brayden Foxley-Conolly was awarded runner up for North Queensland sports star awards that was held in Charters Towers. Picture: Contributed

He said he was appreciative of all the support his mother has given to him over the years.

“Honestly, I don’t know if could do it without my mum by my side all the time, I told her everything and she helped all the way,” Brayden said.

“She is a single mum and I have to tell her everything, I didn’t really have true friends when I was younger.

“She is a good friend and she is a big part of my life.”

Variety Australia, the Children’s Charity has supported Brayden’s participation in wheelchair basketball for the past five years, with a $5000 sport scholarship each year.

Variety Australia offers support to sick or disadvantaged Australian children through various fundraising events held throughout the year.

Ms Foxley-Conolly thanked Variety from “the bottom of her heart”.

“It has been a big help obviously,” Ms Foxley-Conolly said.

“We could not do it without them, I am a single mum and one competition alone is $2000, and that does not include flights and accommodation.”

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