How Red Rover game left Townsville boy Dantè Ladesma with horror injury

A Townsville boy has been unable to walk for more than a year after a simple game of Red Rover left him with a horrific injury. Then doctors gave him another shock diagnosis.

A Townsville boy has been unable to walk for more than a year after a simple game of Red Rover left him with a horrific injury.

Burdell boy Dantè Ladesma, 14, was playing a game of Red Rover at Scouts when he was unexpectedly tackled and broke his hip on February 4 last year.

The horrific injury — where his femur was broken clean off — saw the teen undergo three major surgeries, but 18 months on, Dantè still can’t get around without a wheelchair or crutches.

His mum Cassandra Ladesma said their family was dealt an unexpected second blow last August when doctors diagnosed Dantè with Avascular Necrosis (AVN) — the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply — last October.

Towsville boy Dantè Ladesma, 14, has been unable to walk properly for a year after his hip was broken in a game of Red Rover.

It means the 14-year-old’s only remaining option will be to get a total hip replacement at the Brisbane Children’s Hospital, where he is currently on the surgery waitlist.

“There’s no other option for him; otherwise, he won’t be able to walk at all,” Mrs Ladesma said.

She said it was “horrific” to think that a split decision made during a game of Red Rover had left her son in a world of pain for well over a year.

“It’s been so isolating for Dantè,” she said.

“It’s been rough because he used to love swimming, running and doing normal teenage boy things like playing laser tag or bowling with his mates.

“Now, he can’t do any of that because of his limited range of movement, and he’s exhausted all the time.

“He can’t go to school normally, and he’s doing it online because he can’t even sit up for 40 minutes before the pain gets too much.”

A GoFundMe appeal has been set up to help Dantè’s family continue to pay for his care and medical costs.

You can donate here: https://gofund.me/2de733d5

Originally published as How Red Rover game left Townsville boy Dantè Ladesma with horror injury