Rugby League Teens' Lives Altered After P-Plater Crash in Booval
Two promising rugby league stars, whose lives have been irrevocably changed after a P-plater lost control and slammed into them, now face deeply uncertain futures. Lennox-Murphy Gaudin-Kasupene and Eli Thomas Kleidon, both aged 14, were seated outside a takeaway store in the Ipswich suburb of Booval, located south-west of Brisbane, on Friday afternoon when a Ford Falcon skidded off the road and struck them with devastating force.
Trapped Against a Wall in a Moment of Horror
The boys, caught completely off guard, could not move out of the way in time and were horrifically pinned against a solid wall by the vehicle. In a frantic response, the driver and passengers leaped from the car to desperately try pushing the Falcon off the trapped pair, as shocked bystanders rushed to their aid amidst the chaos.
Firefighters were forced to deploy a winch to carefully free the teens from the wreckage before they were urgently rushed to Queensland Children's Hospital, both suffering from life-threatening injuries. A third teenage bystander sustained minor injuries but did not require hospitalisation, while the occupants of the Ford Falcon escaped entirely unhurt.
Fighting for Life and Facing Multiple Surgeries
Four days on from the traumatic incident, Lennox remains in a critical condition, fighting for his life while in a coma. 'He is now awaiting multiple surgeries, and even if he pulls through this critical stage, life will look very different for him and for our entire family,' his uncle Brownie To'o wrote in an emotional online update. 'Right now, our family is by his bedside, praying, hoping, and taking each day as it comes.'
Mr To'o poignantly described his nephew Lennox as a healthy, active young man with big dreams and a bright future ahead. A fundraiser established for the family states: 'Rugby league wasn’t just a sport to him — it was his passion and his purpose. He trained hard, showed discipline beyond his years, and was working toward a future in the game he loved. Coaches, teammates, and everyone who knows him saw the potential he carried. He was an emerging young player with a promising pathway ahead and aiming to set himself up to help his parents financially.' Now, instead of pursuing his dreams on the field, he confronts a long and uncertain road to recovery.
Community Rallying Around the Injured Teens
Eli is understood to be in a serious but stable condition, according to latest reports. The horror crash has profoundly shaken the local, close-knit rugby league community, which has rallied around both teens in a show of solidarity. Lennox played for the Goodna Eagles, while Eli represented the rival club Norths Tigers.
A separate fundraiser created to assist both families emphasises: 'On the field, they are teammates to many - determined, resilient, and full of potential. Off the field, they are sons, brothers, friends, classmates, and much-loved members of our community. The full extent of their recovery and the financial burden that comes with it is still unknown.'
Goodna Eagles volunteer Anita Cusack told the Courier Mail: 'Lennox was going to go a long way in rugby league. Ipswich High were about to approach him, it was meant to be his year. When we found out on Friday, it broke us.'
Police Investigation Underway
Queensland Police have launched a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. No charges have been laid as inquiries continue. Authorities are urging anyone with information or footage related to the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
