Double amputee and charity champion Tony Hudgell is having emergency surgery after fracturing his new hip.
Adoptive mum Paula Hudgell heard a “blood-curdling” scream from the 10-year-old, who had to be rushed to hospital.
Tony was left with numerous life-threatening and life-changing limb fractures, multiple organ failure and sepsis after violence at the hands of his birth parents when he was just 41 days old.
He now lives with his adoptive mum and dad in West Malling and has become an inspiration to many, completing fundraising walks and raising more than £2 million for charity.
The youngster co-founded the Tony Hudgell Foundation alongside Paula and has been campaigning for harsher sentences for child cruelty offences – with Tony’s Law now in effect.
He was also the youngest-ever person to be recognised in the New Year Honours list when he was presented with a British Empire Medal (BEM).
In March, Tony had life-changing surgery at Sheffield Children’s Hospital to enable him to walk without crutches.
After five hours, surgeons were able to secure his permanently dislocated hip with an absent ball joint and lengthen the thigh segment.
It could only be performed in America or under James Fernandes at the children’s hospital.
The youngster even made a generous £30,000 donation to thank staff for his “incredible care”.
However, Paula posted a sad update on their Instagram page yesterday (December 15).
It said: “Not how we planned our weekend or Christmas. Our beautiful boy fractured his hip yesterday (his new hip).
“I knew it was serious when I heard that blood-curdling scream from Tony. He never complains of pain, but this was clearly very different.
“I lay on the floor with him and his words, ‘I heard it snap, I’ve broken it, I’m so scared.’”
“We had a very long wait for an ambulance and an even longer wait in A&E without pain meds or a drip.
“Even though we stipulated so many times, he had fractured his hip.
“He finally had an X-ray eight hours after that snap that showed he had fractured his hip.
“My heart broke into a million pieces again, I sobbed for our poor baby to once again be knocked back.”
This morning (December 16) it is understood that Tony had emergency surgery to fix his broken bone.
Paula added in the message that they were “so proud of his strength and resilience”.
