Force to be reckoned with: 8yo double-amputee scales British summit for charity

“Talk about endeavour, willpower. For an eight-year-old?  It's not just about the money; it's the legacy.” 

Eight-year-old Tony Hudgell lost both of his legs when he was a baby, but he isn’t letting it hold him back. 

When he was just 41 days old, his birth parents, Tony Smith and Jody Simpson, abused the baby, inflicting horrific violence against the young boy. 

The six-week-old baby was untreated and in agony in his Kent home for 10 days. 

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Tony Hudgell lost both of his legs as a baby after horrific abuse from his biological parents. Source: BBC

British child loses both legs after horrific abuse by biological parents

When he was taken to the hospital, he suffered eight fractures, broken fingers and toes, organ failure, toxic shock, sepsis and blunt trauma to the face, leaving him deaf in one ear.

He underwent 23 surgeries, eight blood transfusions and had a double amputation below his knees, all before he was three years old. 

“Every one of these fractures would have been a very painful injury,” said Dr Fairhurst, of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, during the 2018 court case against his biological birth parents. 

“[He] couldn't crawl, couldn't roll onto his belly and pull himself along or even lift his head.”

Despite losing both legs, the now-eight-year-old hasn’t let it keep him down. In fact, he’s doing more than others could imagine. 

He was adopted by Paula and Mark Hudgell in 2016 at just 17 months old, after fostering him from six weeks old. 

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Tony has raised millions for charity. Source: Instagram/tonyhudgellfoundation/BBC

8yo is an “absolute force to be reckoned with”

When lockdown hit in 2020, the then-five-year-old was inspired by Captain Tom Moore, who raised £38.9 million (AUD $75 million)  for the NHS. 

Using his prosthetic legs, Tony walked 10 kilometres, hoping to raise £500 (AUD $973) for the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, where he received his life-saving care as a baby. 

Instead, he raised £1.9 million (AUD $3.5 million).

“Tony is an inspiration every day, he never complains, he carries on no matter what is thrown at him - all the challenges, he just gets back up and carries on,” said Paula of her son. 

That’s not where Tony’s inspiring story ends. 

The eight-year-old has since achieved his new mission - scaling Orrest Head, a steep summit in England’s Lake District. He was joined by mountaineers Sir Chris Bonington and Hari Budha Magar, the first double-amputee to scale Mount Everest.

“Anybody who knows Tony knows that he is a complete whirlwind,” Paula told the BBC. “He's a force to be reckoned with.” 

“I reckon we could have climbed probably the highest mountain now,” she added. “I think it might have started something.” 

Lake District guide, Steve Watts, helped make the wish a reality. “Talk about endeavour, willpower. For an eight-year-old?” he said. “How many more is he going to inspire? It's not just about the money; it's the legacy.” 

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Tony scaled Orrest Head in the UK's Lake District. Source: BBC

Horrific abuse leads to UK law change

In February 2018, Tony’s biological parents were sentenced to 10 years in prison for child abuse. This was the maximum sentence length at the time, but Tony’s story sparked a change in English law. 

In 2018, Tony’s adoptive parents kickstarted a petition to extend the maximum sentence for child abusers, which their local MP, Tom Tugendhat, picked up. 

In November 2021, “Tony’s Law” was enacted in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. 

The changes saw an increase in the maximum sentence for child abusers from 10 years to 14. The maximum sentence for someone who caused a child’s death was increased from 14 years to a life sentence. 

“It makes a very clear statement that [child abusers] will be treated as harshly as they would if they were abusing an adult who can give evidence,” said Tugendhat.

Originally published as Force to be reckoned with: 8yo double-amputee scales British summit for charity