Freedom Vaha'akolo- What a Lad

Freedom Vaha'akaolo’s story is one of the wildest and most emotional you’ll ever hear. He is one incredibly talented rugby player who certainly didn't take the typical pathway.

From the age of just 11 years old he was homeless, eating from trash cans, and learning how to survive. Years later, he was scoring tries for Otago using his speed and power which earned him a spot with the Highlanders.

During that time he was involved in a cruel catfish scam almost ended it all.

In this episode, Freedom opens up about:

- What made a kid with two loving parent want to be homeless

- What life was like on the streets as a young teenager

- The impact that moving to 7 new schools had on him

- His identity struggle coming from mixed heritage and the impact that had.

- How he made the NZ schools camp in basically his first year of rugby

- His pathway into professional rugby and the challenges involved.

- How an online relationship turned into a disaster being catfished,

- And how he’s rebuilt himself through faith, therapy, and sport again.

It’s raw. It’s real. It’s one of the most powerful stories ever shared on What a Lad and that is no exaggeration. Let me know what you thought about it in the comments👇

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