He is the blond-haired, blue-eyed larrikin who usually spends his boundless energy tackling big kids on the footy field, hoping to one day follow in the footsteps of his famous cousin, Greg Inglis.
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But all of that changed for Corey Carlson eight days ago, when the outgoing nine-year-old was hit by a truck as he rode along a Koonawarra street with his cousin, Joel, on Sunday evening.
Since then he has been confined to his bed in Sydney Children’s Hospital’s intensive care unit, lying in an induced coma with a machine to help him breathe, unaware of the never-ending parade of family members visiting his bedside.
Among them is his beloved nan, Noeleen, and pop, Jimmy, who care for Corey and his 11-year-old brother, Riley.
Despite the hellish week spent driving up to Sydney and waiting for news by Corey's bedside, his nan said the family was counting its blessings.
"We are so lucky that it didn't cripple him. He's moving his body around now they are cutting back on his medication," Mrs Carlson said.
"We don't know the extent of his head injuries yet, so we can't predict what will happen until he comes out of [the coma].
"There's not much more we can do other than just wait, but we're all optimistic."
On any normal afternoon, Corey would grab his skateboard or bike and head out for a ride, keen to hang out with one of his many cousins.
But it is on the footy field with his St Johns Rhinos teammates he feels most at home, as a pocket-rocket fullback who isn't worried about tackling the big boys, despite his small frame.
"He's a good little footy player," Mrs Carlson said.
"South Sydney is who he goes for and Greg Inglis is his favourite. Greg is his cousin - he's my nephew - and Corey idolises him. I asked the doctors if he will play football again ... but they said they don't know yet."
Two weeks ago, Corey cheered and jumped around the room with his nan and brother as they watched their beloved Rabbitohs storm home to grand final glory.
His doctors are now waiting for the swelling in his brain to subside to determine the extent of his injuries and recovery prospects.
On Sunday, Mrs Carlson laughed as she recalled Corey's memorable football debut.
"The first time he played, he was six and got sent off the field," she said.
"He stuck up for a little girl on his team because he thought the other team tackled her too hard, so he has come in [and given them a mouthful] and he got sent off."
She said it was typical of Corey, who has a kind heart but has always been a handful.
"We all want to kill him at times but we also love him."
Despite his penchant for mischief and running amok - or maybe because of it - Corey is a well-known member of the Dapto-Koonawarra community.
Shop owners have already started pitching in to help the family, who are organising a fund-raiser in the coming weeks to help it cope with the costs of travelling into Sydney and Corey's recovery.
Anyone who wants to donate their services or items for a raffle at the fund-raiser can contact Corey's cousin, Allysa, at allysarose29@gmail.com.
The Carlson family wanted to publicly thank Wollongong and Sydney children's hospitals, as well as police and emergency services personnel who responded to the accident.
"They all did such a wonderful job," Mrs Carlson said.
