The schoolboy whose dream came true when he was allowed to join victorious Tyson Fury in the ring on Saturday told his mum the World Champ is “well cool”.
Sports-mad Marshall Janson, 14, from Perranporth, lost all four of his limbs when he contracted meningitis just after he turned one. But his mum says his disability has never held him back and at the weekend he shared a massive hug with his sporting hero, Tyson Fury, in front of the world.
Tyson has been helping him as he tries to raise almost £30,000 for ‘hero’ prosthetic arms. Colin Trevorrow, who has been helping Marshall's family, summed it up by saying of the moment: “There are very few words that can do this picture justice. A world champion looking in to the eyes of a boy who thinks he is amazing.”
He revealed how on Saturday, before the fight, Marshall received a pledge from an anonymous donor from the US, who was offering £26,000 to pay for his ‘hero’ arms - although they could not be certain until the money is received. Marshall’s proud mum Stephanie Janson, 42, told how she had to stay at home with her five year old twins and 11 year old daughter and had no idea her son was going to be in the ring.
“Our friend Colin organised for him to go to Tyson’s training on Tuesday last week and he spent the day there. He met Tyson, his brother, his dad and other boxers. He had an amazing time. “When they were there, they were told they had front row tickets to the fight. He was shocked and amazed and he said to me about Tyson: ‘He’s well cool’.
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“Then Tyson said he wanted him to walk the belt into the ring but there were health and safety concerns so he couldn’t. But he got to go into the ring to congratulate Tyson. He didn’t know he was going in at all. I phoned him about midnight and he said it was amazing.
“He’s such a kind person, he’s just like a normal down to earth guy who has given Marshall an amazing experience.” Talking about how she felt when her son appeared on the telly, she added: “I was overwhelmed.
“I just couldn’t believe it. I was at home watching on my own and then I saw him in the ring. I think I shouted’ ‘Oh my God, it’s my son.’ I’d wondered if Tyson would mention him and it was so amazing he did this for him. I keep watching the video back and it makes me so tearful.”
Stephanie explained how Marshall lost his limbs three days after his first birthday. “It was just horrendous,’ she recalled, with Marshall spending six months in Bristol Children’s Hospital. We didn’t think he would make it, so to think how lucky we are. He’s such a lovely, kind-hearted kid.”
Now they are hoping to raise the funds to pay for all his limbs that he will need throughout his life. “He just wants to open the doors and have a grip on something. But he has always loved sport so if he could also use a cricket bat or a tennis racket with one arm, it would be amazing. At the moment he grips it between his arms.
“He’s wanted these arms for a long time but Covid put everything behind. We had to concentrate on getting his prosthetic legs first because he’d outgrown them. Because most important to him is walking around with his friends.”
