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Health & Wellbeing
Sonny Bill Williams throws support behind battling 3yo who needs heart surgery
Former footy star Sonny Bill Williams has made a selfless move to help a little three-year-old who needs a third major operation.
James Dampney
September 24, 2025 – 8:20PM
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Dual code international Sonny Bill Williams is getting behind a campaign to help raise money for a three-year-old boy in need of major heart surgery.
Williams represented New Zealand in both league and union in his career and also had 11 professional fights in the ring.
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Now the 40-year-old has teamed up with Aussie gardener Nathan Stafford to help a young family going through a tough time with their young son Dallas.
Diagnosed with a significant heart problem in utero when his mum Joeleen was 20 weeks pregnant, Dallas has already had two heart surgeries – when he was just eight days old and again at four months.
Joeleen said Dallas, who is the youngest of the couple’s three children, “basically has half a heart and everything is reversed” and needs a major reconstruction next year “to hopefully help him breathe”.
Sonny Bill Williams won NRL and Super Rugby premierships during his career. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
Dallas’ dad works two jobs while Joeleen works part-time at charity HeartKids in an effort to make ends meet, but Williams and Stafford are hoping to ease the pressure on the family.
Williams made a surprise visit to their home in an Instagram video that was posted on Wednesday evening, with the blindfolded family overjoyed when they removed their masks to see the former footy star standing behind them.
Williams and Stafford both donated $1000 each to the cause, with a Go Fund Me page quickly soaring to $12,750 at the time of writing, in an effort to raise $18,000 for the surgery.
“Nathan reached out to me a few days ago and told me the situation,” Williams said.
Sonny Bill and Nathan Stafford (far left) with the family in need. Photo: Go Fund Me
“And man, it’s a pleasure and a privilege to be here with you guys and I’ve got total respect for what you both are doing and what you’ve gone through.
“The one thing me and my wife always talk about is no one loves you like your parents.
“If we can ease the pressure in any way that’s what we’ll do.
“We’ve got a platform and it’s our duty to use it in the right way, starting with you guys.”
Sonny Bill has shared the video with his 1.5 million Instagram followers and Stafford has done the same to his lawn and gardens business page, which has 2.7 million followers.
Stafford has built a huge audience on social media, dedicating a core part of his company to philanthropic pursuits to help people in need with their gardens.
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Former Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma and well known businessman Mark Bouris are among those that have already shown their support to the family.
On the Go Fund Me page, Stafford wrote: “Today myself and the legend Sonny Bill Williams have teamed up to help this beautiful family who really need some funds to take this serious pressure valve off them.
“Their son Dallas is three and already had two open heart surgeries with a major one coming next year.
“Let’s change this family’s life and all get behind them.”
Stafford also has a child with a heart condition and added he spent three months in hospital with his son.
Sonny Bill surprises the young family at their home. Photo: Instagram
Little Dallas needs another heart operation. Photo: Instagram
Joeleen also previously spent 15 months at a Ronald McDonald House with Dallas.
A number of people are already commenting on the post and donating to the worthy cause.
“Good luck and sending lots of love and hugs from the UK to this beautiful family,” was one comment on Instagram.
“God bless this beautiful family and hope things can be better for them in the future. Nathan and Sonny, what a wonderful job you have done for them,” wrote another.
“Oh Nathan so good, thank you to you and Sonny for helping out this wonderful family in there time of need,” added a third.
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Another wrote simply: “Crying!”
Asked how she was doing, Joeleen added: “We’re coping and we’ll keep fighting.”
Anyone wishing to donate to help Dallas can do so via this Go Fund Me link.
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