WHEN eight-year-old Tony Hudgell found out his abusive mum had been freed from jail his first thought was not for himself but other children.
Tony was so badly abused by his biological parents Jody Simpson and Tony Smith that both his legs had to be amputated.
He was just 41-days-old when the twisted pair attacked him and was lucky to escape with his life.
Yet when the indomitable youngster realised evil Simpson, 29, had been released in February after serving six years of a ten-year sentence, Tony’s biggest fear was for any other kids the sick couple might have.
It is that incredible sense of empathy that has led Tony to raise almost £2million to help other disabled and sick youngsters.
This week he raised more than £40,000 by climbing 780ft to the summit of Orrest Head, in the Lake District.
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Adoptive mum Paula, 56, said: “Tony knows his birth parents can’t come near him and he knows he’s safe with us, but he’s worried that something could happen to another child if they had one.
“It’s quite a burden for a little boy to carry, but it shows his caring, empathetic nature.
“He knew his mum was up for release, but we were shocked when she got out. I went to tell Tony and he must have seen my face, because he said, ‘She’s out, isn’t she?’
“He gets a little bit worked up now and again, but not for himself because he knows he’s precious to us. He always tells our older children that he’s the special one because we picked him.”
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Paula is fighting her own health problems after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in February 2022.
She had a major operation to remove a tumour and six months of intensive chemotherapy that ended last October.
Her recovery has been slow and a series of bowel obstructions have left her in pain, but the mum of eight says Tony’s courage has helped her to cope.
Paula, of West Malling, Kent, said: “It’s not been easy but I look at everything Tony has been through and think ‘how can I complain?’ He really is incredible.
“If he can come through with a smile on his face, then so can I.”
Despite her illness, Paula successfully campaigned to keep child abusers behind bars for longer, but unfortunately the change in the law came too late to keep Tony’s birth mum in jail.
The sight of Tony reaching the summit of Orrest Head, near Windermere, left Paula and husband Mark, 59, filled with pride, especially after the youngster took off his prosthetic legs to scramble to the top.
Precious child
He was joined by mountaineering legend Sir Chris Bonington, 89, who has undertaken 19 Himalaya expeditions and conquered Mount Everest four times.
There was also a surprise in store for Tony as he neared the summit when British Army veteran Hari Budha Magar crept up behind him in the final stretch.
Hari, 43, a fellow double amputee who lost his legs in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2010, left the little boy speechless.
The former Gurkha became Tony’s hero after he was the first double amputee to scale Everest in May.
Hari and Sir Chris might have risked their lives to stand on top of the world, but there was no doubt who the star of the show was as Tony raised a Union Jack at the end of his fundraiser.
Sir Chris said he was “wowed” by the youngster’s “stamina, true grit and determination”.
While Hari said: “He is my hero. He is the same as me. He’s a really strong character and what he does is amazing. We need more people like Tony.”
Paula said: “Everything Tony does shows real determination.
"On that climb he was chomping at the bit to get going as the adrenalin kicked in.
“He was so, so fast that he was up and down in about three hours. We were going to use a terrain wheelchair to take him back down but he refused and did it all himself. He didn’t want any help.
“It’s a reflection of how determined he’s been in life right from the start.”
Paula is convinced it is Tony’s heartbreaking early days that makes him care for others so much.
On that climb he was chomping at the bit to get going as the adrenalin really kicked in. He was so, so fast that he was up and down in about three hours.
Paula HudgellHis mother Simpson and father Smith, 52, were each jailed for ten years at Maidstone Crown Court in 2018 for assaulting, neglecting and ill-treating Tony.
It took a jury just an hour to convict them.
In the five weeks he was with the evil pair, he had all his limbs broken, his ankle, toes and thumbs dislocated and became deaf in one ear.
He was left in agony and without medical attention for ten days and suffered sepsis and multiple organ failure.
He needed 23 operations and eight blood transfusions.
He dumbfounded doctors by surviving his terrible injuries before being fostered by Paula and Mark at six weeks old.
They fell in love with him and adopted him at 17 months in 2016.
Paula later said: “He was in so much pain, he would cry out even when he was heavily sedated. You could see in his eyes he’d shut down, but he was absolutely beautiful. Broken but beautiful.”
Since being taken in by the Hudgells and their seven children Ben, 34, Ryan, 31, Chloe, 29, Kyle, 21, Jess, 17, Jaden, 16, and 11-year-old Lacey, Tony has gone from strength to strength.
His terrible injuries meant Tony’s legs were eventually amputated when he was four but, typically, the youngster refused to let his disability get in the way.
In June 2020, inspired by Captain Tom Moore during lockdown, the then five-year-old set out to raise £500 for the Evelina London Children’s Hospital Charity by walking 10km (six miles) on his new legs.
He raised £1.7million and was given a top national award the same year.
Broken but beautiful
Tony’s journey has seen him make high-profile friends including Ant & Dec, Simon Cowell and even the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine.
His story left Holly Willoughby moved to tears when he appeared on TV’s This Morning in 2018.
Paula said: “Tony doesn’t let any obstacle get in his way. He just gets on with life and he’s always got a smile on his face, even though he’s challenged daily with pain.”
Paula and Mark, who works in finance, have set up The Tony Hudgell Foundation to help other children who have suffered emotional, physical or psychological abuse.
The £40,000 plus Tony raised from his latest challenge has been shared between his own trust and the Bendrigg Trust, Crohn’s and Colitis UK and Fix the Fells, which looks after paths in the Lake District.
His willpower inspired Paula to fight for a change in the law so child abusers get tougher sentences.
She was awarded an OBE for services to children in January this year after successfully battling for Tony’s Law, which gave judges extended sentencing powers.
The maximum jail term for causing or allowing a child’s death increased from 14 years to life, while the longest penalty for causing harm was increased from ten to 14 years.
Tony knows his birth parents can’t come near him and he knows he’s safe with us but he’s worried something could happen to another child.
Paula HudgellBut the laws came too late to make a difference to Tony’s cruel torturers, despite a bid by then Justice Secretary Dominic Raab to block Simpson’s release.
Mr Raab tried to stop her being freed early using discretionary powers concerning dangerous offenders, but Simpson made a High Court challenge and a judge ruled the minister’s bid to delay her release was unlawful.
Tony’s birth dad has been denied parole and Paula says she has been told it is likely he will have to serve out the rest of his sentence.
The caring mum says Tony has always been aware of his background — the family have never tried to hide it from him.
She said: “He has grown up knowing.
“Every time he had a medical appointment, everyone wanted his full history.
“We answer any questions he has in an age-appropriate way, but he doesn’t ask very often.
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“The most important thing is that he knows he is loved — and that will never change.”
- If you would like to donate, go to tonyhudgellfoundation.org
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