By NICOLE WILLIAMS
WITH his foot hanging by a thread, all Zach Stephens could think about was saving his treasured Collingwood guernsey.
But three years later and after intensive physiotherapy, the 13-year-old is back on the footy field and will run onto Etihad Stadium this Sunday with his black and white heroes.
The Pakenham youngster has been selected as the Collingwood mascot for next week’s Robert Rose Cup, an annual clash between Collingwood Magpies and the Western Bulldogs.
“I am so excited to go on the field and be next to Maxwell,” Zach said.
“I didn’t believe it at first.””I had to tell him 10 times,” his father Jon chimed in.
Zach was given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity after the law firm that represented him following his accident, Slater & Gordon, became the naming rights sponsor of the Robert Rose Cup.
In August 2010, Zach was crossing the road with his friend in Pakenham when he was hit by a four wheel drive, severely damaging his ankle and foot. As he lay on the side of the road, he argued with the paramedics who tried to cut off his jumper that had been signed by several dozen Collingwood players over the years – he eventually lost the argument.
Surgeons were unsure that his leg or foot could be saved, let alone whether the sports-mad boy would be able to walk or play footy again. Even though his parents gave permission to amputate if necessary, they never told him that he would be facing a sport-free future. Last year, with a scar that looks like a ’shark bite’, Zach tried his hand at basketball to see how his injuries would handle the physical activity – it went so well he re-joined the Pakenham Lions Football Club and has been playing the Under-14 team this season.
“I’m so glad to play footy again and be able to play full forward,” Zach said.
Jon said his son had been dreaming of getting back on the football field and they couldn’t be prouder of how far he had come.
“We tear up,” he said.
“They said Zach could wake up with no leg, no foot and not walk again. Zach is fortunate.”
“The adrenaline rush he is going to get going through something like that – it couldn’t get much better than that,” Jon said.
“We are humbled because there were hundreds of kids they could have picked.”
“Apart from his clear devotion to the Magpies, Zach is someone who faced the possibility of losing his leg and not being able to play sport again but he overcame both of those challenges and I think he was the obvious choice,” Slater & Gordon lawyer Janine Gregory said.
Although Zach gets embarrassed with the attention, his parents have encouraged him to take these opportunities and tell others about his recovery.
“We wish we had seen a similar situation before Zach’s accident to give us a little bit of hope,” Jon said.
“We want to help families in a similar situation. Parents facing a similar situation can use Zach as inspiration.”
Zach and his family wished to thank the surgeon, nurses and staff at Dandenong Hospital for their hard work as well as his physiotherapist and football coach, Adrian, for giving him a chance this season.
