Telethon 2024: Fierce Ant Middleton moved to tears by warrior-like courage little heroes

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Telethon 2024: Fierce Ant Middleton moved to tears by warrior-like courage little heroes

Telethon 2024: Fierce Ant Middleton moved to tears by warrior-like courage little heroes

Former Special Forces soldier Ant Middleton was in awe at the courage and resilience of Noah Johnson, who read aloud a letter he’d written to the TV presenter.

There were tears in Middleton’s eyes as 12-year-old Noah, battling cancer in his back and spine, spoke of the arduous and energy-sapping treatment he was undergoing.

“I’m meant to be the hard, tough Ant Middleton and then just looking at Noah and hearing his the words coming out … it hit my heart,” the presenter of SAS Australia: Who Dares Wins said.

“What he’s been through and what he’s going through is more than what I’ve ever put myself through.”

Middleton was speaking just after Saturday’s breakfast event that fired the starting gun on this year’s Telethon weekend.

The glittering array of TV talent at the breakfast, including several celebrities, like Gold Logie winner Larry Emdur, who’d flown in from the east coast, were all deeply moved by the true stars in the room — the children.

They included this year’s Little Telethon Stars, Florence Shanks, 4, Nazeem Fahmi, 8, Nate Fearnall, 8, and Charlee Hosking, 10, who lapped up the love and applause.

Middleton said the emotional rollercoaster of Telethon had started for him when Noah spoke.

Camera IconMiddleton said the emotional rollercoaster of Telethon had started for him when Noah spoke. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

“Talk about inspiration … It’s moments like that, that make me realise why I’m here. Everything we do this weekend is purely for the kids.”

Noah, who has had 14 rounds of chemotherapy and 31 rounds of radiation since being diagnosed with ewing sarcoma in March, featured on the front page of Saturday’s The West Australian.

Every cent of money raised this weekend would go to helping kids like Noah, Richard Goyder, chair of the Channel 7 Telethon Trust, said.

There were lumps in the throats when the parents of two children spoke of the enormous support they had from Telethon beneficiaries, which now numbered 136 organisations, up from 55 in 2020.

At six months old, Taj Deluca suffered a cardiac arrest, resulting in an acquired hypoxic brain injury leading to quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera Icon Ant Middleton gives Taj Deluca a kiss on the head. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

His mum Danica, was emotional as she told the attendees what Telethon meant for her family and how much of a difference it had made to Taj, now 10.

“Taj loves Telethon because it’s larger than life, a big party with all the celebrities he watches on TV, getting together for the most important cause,” she said.

“But I don’t think it will be until he’s much older that he realises that Telethon really was more than a star-studded party. It’s the reason he was able to access such important therapy programs and state-of-the-art equipment.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconHawthorn legend Shane Crawford. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

“As Taj’s mum, I will be forever grateful for Telethon as I’ve gone from watching Telethon as a child to having my own child’s life directly improved by Telethon. I am so glad that Taj is a Western Australian as without the generosity of Western Australians, there is no Telethon. And for that, I thank you all, you have truly helped to improve Taj’s life and the life of many other WA kids.”

Ben Marshall, the father of one of last year’s Little Telethon Stars, Sophia, said Telethon was also about creating joy for the kids.

“Irrespective of their individual battles, none of these children are defined by them,” he said. “They’re kids. They’re not conditions. Each one is full of personality, of fun, cheekiness, sassiness even, and they all deserve joy in their lives, just like all of us.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconJames Stewart. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

“Through the fundraising and incredible work of beneficiary organisations, Telethon creates opportunities for relief to families in really dark times, for moments of joy and happiness.

“Know that every interaction that you have this weekend is an opportunity to make someone smile and to bring that moment of joy. To me that really is the heart of Telethon.”

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconAbbey Holmes. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

Mr Goyder said the talent assembled for this weekend “was as good as we’ve ever had”.

Last year’s event was another record-breaker, raising $77.5 million.

“It’s a big ask to go better than that, but we’re going to try,” he said.

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