Knights star’s heartfelt act for young fan
Kalyn Ponga has surprised a young Knights fan on her birthday in a heartwarming story for the rugby league community.
The Newcastle fan, Amaya, took a likening to Ponga earlier in the season at a fan day when she realised they both wear headgear to play football.
Their bond has since grown at various junior rugby league clinics and on social media – so Ponga reached out to the 4-year-old on her birthday.
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So today, a potential future Immortal invited my family to training so that he could personally present her with a present (a new headgear and a box of cupcakes) and took his time to share a moment with her as they looked through her return gift (a book of drawings). @NRLKnights pic.twitter.com/B6KhlGYQuk
— Mat and Kita Clarke (@KitaandMat) July 18, 2018
Young Amaya was surprised to receive a box of cupcakes and an new headgear to wear as a touching birthday gift from Ponga.
Amaya’s parents, Miquita and Mathew, were left in awe of the kindness displayed by the injured Knights star, tweeting:
The gesture was appreciated enormously, but the genuine joy he showed in spending time with her, in forming a real friendship with one so young, blew me away as to what a truly special young man we have on our hands. #nrltalkupthegame @LadiesWhoLeague pic.twitter.com/sEtIYQHo3D
— Mat and Kita Clarke (@KitaandMat) July 18, 2018
Miquita Clarke also spoke of how the bond formed, and how their relationship grew over the season.
“She went up and had a chat and he wanted to do little relay things with her and he encouraged her to have a go,” Miquita told Knights TV.
“I took photos that day and I put them up on her wall and I took a photo of that and put it on Instagram and I didn’t really expect anything of it.
“He commented straight back that he remembered her and it was great she had them on her wall and it went from there.”
Ponga was equally surprised when he received a gift in return, a book of drawings and photos of the two together.
Mathew Clarke also added how surreal the moment is for himself and his family.
“It’s really important for the kids in this community,” Mathew told Knights TV.
“The fact that a little four-and-a-half-year-old, who is having her first run around with Morpeth this year, can be friends with a guy who could play for Australia, could be an immortal, could be anything, it’s amazing.”