Teddy left speechless by his NRL heroes

By KELLY BLANCHARD in Hamilton
Little Teddy Tipu is normally a quick-witted chatterbox.

But the Rotorua seven-year-old was lost for words yesterday when he came face-to-face with his rugby league heroes from the Sydney-based Paramatta Eels side.

Teddy is still in a wheelchair and may never walk again after he ran across the road without looking outside Owhata Primary School on February 9 and was struck by a 4WD truck. He was caught underneath the vehicle and was dragged several metres.

Both his legs are still in plaster, he has a plate in his thigh, a reconstructed ankle and several broken bones. If he does walk again, he will have a severe limp.

Teddy spent 12 weeks in hospital and has only managed to go back to school this week for three hours a day.

The boredom of being stuck in a wheelchair was broken yesterday when he met Paramatta Eels players, former Warriors star PJ Marsh and Michael Vella.

The players were at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton as part of a promotional trip in the build-up to their clash with the Warriors there on June 18.

The players gave Teddy a Paramatta Eels shirt signed by the team. Before the meeting, Teddy was buzzing, but once surrounded by the players and the media, he became shy and tongue-tied.

His mother, Pam Tipu, said she had never seen him lost for words.

"Usually he won't shut up. It's amazing. I have never seen him like that."

Marsh, who has himself made a comeback after breaking his neck, said he hoped their meeting would give Teddy a boost and show him there was light at the end of the tunnel.

"Hopefully he will be running around again within a little bit of time," the player said.

Teddy used to play rugby league for Pikiao in the under-six and under-five grades but family friend Christine Woods said it was unlikely he would ever play again.

Ms Woods, who also works at Rotorua Hospital as resident medical offices co-ordinator, organised yesterday's meeting for Teddy.

"I hopped on the internet and got in touch with the Warriors and the Eels and Paramatta answered within a day saying they'd do this for him. It's great for Teddy because he is a league kid."

Now when you ask Teddy which is his favourite team there's no hesitation - the Paramatta Eels.

But both Marsh and Vella have a long way to go to win Teddy's heart as his favourite sportsman.

That title firmly belongs to rugby player Jonah Lomu after the former All Blacks star spent several hours at Rotorua Hospital with Teddy in March while with the New Zealand sevens team in Rotorua.

Ms Tipu said her son was growing increasingly frustrated with being stuck in a wheelchair and every little visit and morale boost went a long way. Teddy will get to see his new league buddies live in action after the NRL gave him a family pass to watch the Hamilton match next month.