Boy’s wish for rugby game comes true
Hundreds turned out for a rugby match put on for Napier boy with terminal cancer Kingston Karangaroa-Mohi.
Kingston wore a stunned look as he alighted from the helicopter that had flown him to Tamatea Park and saw the large crowd that had assembled for him yesterday morning.
The 8-year-old’s family learned two weeks ago that the cancer he has bravely fought for more than four years is terminal and the time he has left with them may be short.
Kingston was diagnosed with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in March 2013 when he was just four. He completed treatment in July last year, only to relapse in December. He underwent a bone marrow transplant from his younger brother Alfie, 5, in April, but unfortunately, that was unsuccessful and now there is no further treatment available.
Since getting the news on October 13, Kingston’s family and friends have worked tirelessly to see he ticks off as much of his wish list as possible within the little time he has left.
He’’s a huge fan of rugby but his illness meant he was never able to play. One of his wishes was to see one more rugby match. Organisers had no problem rustling up fullykitted players from Kingston’s family’s club, the Napier Pirates, and another local club Tamatea, and a match was duly held with Kingston watching on atop a makeshift throne, surrounded by friends and family.
He even managed to take to the field for half an hour.
One of the organisers, Kate Frame, said the day ‘‘couldn’t have gone better’’.
‘‘He knew a bit about what was planned, but I think he was quite taken aback by just how many people turned out. It’s a real tribute to how many people he has touched in his short life. He really is such a warm, loving and lovable little boy,’’ Frame said.
‘‘I’d say we had close to 400 people turn up. We had about 100 motorbikes come along at one stage, with members from all gangs, which was bit of a surprise. I have no idea who won the game. It’s not really that important, obviously,’’ she said.
‘‘And the support and generosity from people in the community has been incredible’’.
She said Kingston was ‘‘absolutely exhausted’’ after the event, which began at 10am and finished at around 2pm.
‘‘He spent that entire time wearing his big grin and talking and cuddling with people,’’ she said.