Prosthetic legs don’t keep Texas boy from reaching dream.

Courageous Kid - The Ellen DeGeneres Show

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On October 2, 2001, the doctors decided that at 34 weeks, Cody McCasland was going to be delivered as the amniotic fluid was decreasing and Cody's growth was no longer increasing. Cody was delivered by an urgent cesarean section, and immediately, they knew things were not quite right. Mike, Cody's Father, could see that Cody's legs looked different, and he only had 4 toes on his right foot, but that was all he knew. The doctor's asked him not to say anything to Tina, Cody's Mother, as she was still in surgery herself. Cody did not breathe on his own for several minutes, but after he did, he was swaddled for Tina to hold for a few seconds.then off to the NICU. Mike followed. In the NICU Mike was told of all the problems by the physician, and then told to prepare for him to die. He was completely alone and the physician left. He came to Tina with the news, whom did not understand or believe it. Shortly thereafter, the doctor came in to talk with Tina and Mike, and said Cody was stable, but he was being transferred to another hospital, without Tina. He needed surgery within the next day or two and they could not perform it there. Tina was able to see Cody one last time in an incubator before transport, but then he and Mike were gone. Tina was adamant that she was going to be at the other hospital when Cody had surgery and was walking that evening. Cody's surgery was scheduled for the morning of day 3 and she was there. This was just the beginning of their medical journey with Cody. He remained in the NICU for 23 days, and had two of his now 15 surgeries, before going home.

The day before Thanksgiving, 2001, Cody stopped breathing while at home, and Tina had to perform CPR while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Cody began breathing on his own again, and would be taken to the local Children's Hospital. Unfortunately, it was not the hospital with Cody's specialists, so when they arrived and he was stable, the hospital decided to transfer him. Mike is now on the way to a part of town he has never been to, and is lost. Meanwhile, they are now ready to transport Cody and Tina, again by ambulance, to Children's Hospital Dallas. Mike hits rush hour traffic, but after 2 ½ hours of driving, finally finds them. Cody ends up needing his 3rd surgery, which actually includes five separate procedures, and has a nearly 3-week stay in the hospital, in which Tina has to stay the whole time. This meant the family spent their first Thanksgiving in the hospital. Mike would daily drive down to the hospital to give Tina a break, after working all day. After the daily drive became too much, they had to pay for a hotel room for Mike to sleep in at night, so he could see Tina and Cody, get sleep and still work. Again, this was just the beginning of his 15 total surgeries.

In December 2001, Cody had his first appointment at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Up to now, no one has given the family a diagnosis, although they have come up with their own by researching the symptoms on the Internet. Although the doctors will not confirm the diagnosis, they do tell the family that Cody will require multiple surgeries, one of which will be an amputation of his right leg through the knee. Cody had no knee or tibia on the right side. They were uncertain about the problems with the left leg and would have to wait to see how it developed, as he got a little older. The first surgery would be a hip surgery to his right hip, which was dislocated, followed by 3 months in a hip spica cast. None of the orthopedic surgeries could begin though, until all the necessary medical surgeries were completed.

In January 2002, Cody again ended up in the ER at Children's Dallas because of abdominal concerns. He had an emergency surgery due to an adhesion caused by his November surgeries. Another 10 day stay in the hospital for both Cody and Tina, and Mike again juggled work, coming to the hospital to see Cody and Tina, and finding time to sleep.

The hospitalizations and surgeries continued on. Cody had numerous hospitalizations for infections and asthma/airways concerns, as well as for his surgeries. His next surgeries were in March 2002, on Tina's birthday, in April 2002 he had 3 surgeries, and in July 2002 he had two surgeries. In November 2002 Cody had a seizure with an unknown cause right before going to Children's Hospital Philadelphia for a second opinion on his legs. After coming home from that appointment, Cody had an MRI of his hips and legs to see what structures were present on each leg. This MRI showed that Cody was missing his tibia and knee on both the left and right side. Mike and Tina's choices were few - to leave him in a wheelchair with legs that would not function for him and wouldn't even allow him to sit normally or to have the portion of his legs from the knees down amputated to give him the opportunity to walk with prostheses. Bilateral amputation surgery was scheduled for January 2003. In December 2002, Cody caught RSV and again was in the hospital. He was released the day before Christmas, but this caused his surgery to be postponed until later in January. After Cody's amputation, he was trying to stand on his stumps later that day. Mike and Tina were so impressed by how he continued to deal so well with being in a hospital environment and keep his always-cheery disposition. Cody never lets anything bring him down. Two months after Cody had his surgery he was fitted with his first prosthetics and walking with assistance! In August 2003, Cody again had a surgery, and subsequently, spent about 6 weeks in the hospital between August and November due to airway and respiratory concerns. Again, Tina stayed in the hospital away from Mike, and Mike worked, came to visit and relieve Tina, while trying to find time to sleep. Due to Cody's continual illnesses that winter, Mike, Tina and Cody had to cancel their Christmas plans just a few days before Christmas and stay in Dallas. Since Cody had been born, they had not spent any holidays with Mike's family in California, which was very difficult. Luckily, Tina's mom and stepfather were there in Dallas for support and to spend the holidays with.

In June 2004, Cody was diagnosed with severe Osteopenia, putting him at an extremely high risk for a bone to break. Cody had to spend three days as an outpatient, every four months, getting infusion therapy to help re-generate his bones. He did this for a year and a half, and is now in re-mission.

Besides all of the above surgeries, Cody has also needed "regular kid" procedures such as tubes in his ears and gall bladder removal.

Through all of this, Cody has had the opportunity to participate in horseback riding, gymnastics, t-ball, soccer, swimming, running, golf, flying a plane, and many other adventures. Cody's limitless attitude will get him far in life and help him to reach his goals.












On October 2, 2001, the doctors decided that at 34 weeks, Cody McCasland was going to be delivered as the amniotic fluid was decreasing and Cody's growth was no longer increasing. Cody was delivered by an urgent cesarean section, and immediately, they knew things were not quite right. Mike, Cody's Father, could see that Cody's legs looked different, and he only had 4 toes on his right foot, but that was all he knew. The doctor's asked him not to say anything to Tina, Cody's Mother, as she was still in surgery herself. Cody did not breathe on his own for several minutes, but after he did, he was swaddled for Tina to hold for a few seconds.then off to the NICU. Mike followed. In the NICU Mike was told of all the problems by the physician, and then told to prepare for him to die. He was completely alone and the physician left. He came to Tina with the news, whom did not understand or believe it. Shortly thereafter, the doctor came in to talk with Tina and Mike, and said Cody was stable, but he was being transferred to another hospital, without Tina. He needed surgery within the next day or two and they could not perform it there. Tina was able to see Cody one last time in an incubator before transport, but then he and Mike were gone. Tina was adamant that she was going to be at the other hospital when Cody had surgery and was walking that evening. Cody's surgery was scheduled for the morning of day 3 and she was there. This was just the beginning of their medical journey with Cody. He remained in the NICU for 23 days, and had two of his now 15 surgeries, before going home.

The day before Thanksgiving, 2001, Cody stopped breathing while at home, and Tina had to perform CPR while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Cody began breathing on his own again, and would be taken to the local Children's Hospital. Unfortunately, it was not the hospital with Cody's specialists, so when they arrived and he was stable, the hospital decided to transfer him. Mike is now on the way to a part of town he has never been to, and is lost. Meanwhile, they are now ready to transport Cody and Tina, again by ambulance, to Children's Hospital Dallas. Mike hits rush hour traffic, but after 2 ½ hours of driving, finally finds them. Cody ends up needing his 3rd surgery, which actually includes five separate procedures, and has a nearly 3-week stay in the hospital, in which Tina has to stay the whole time. This meant the family spent their first Thanksgiving in the hospital. Mike would daily drive down to the hospital to give Tina a break, after working all day. After the daily drive became too much, they had to pay for a hotel room for Mike to sleep in at night, so he could see Tina and Cody, get sleep and still work. Again, this was just the beginning of his 15 total surgeries.

In December 2001, Cody had his first appointment at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Up to now, no one has given the family a diagnosis, although they have come up with their own by researching the symptoms on the Internet. Although the doctors will not confirm the diagnosis, they do tell the family that Cody will require multiple surgeries, one of which will be an amputation of his right leg through the knee. Cody had no knee or tibia on the right side. They were uncertain about the problems with the left leg and would have to wait to see how it developed, as he got a little older. The first surgery would be a hip surgery to his right hip, which was dislocated, followed by 3 months in a hip spica cast. None of the orthopedic surgeries could begin though, until all the necessary medical surgeries were completed.

In January 2002, Cody again ended up in the ER at Children's Dallas because of abdominal concerns. He had an emergency surgery due to an adhesion caused by his November surgeries. Another 10 day stay in the hospital for both Cody and Tina, and Mike again juggled work, coming to the hospital to see Cody and Tina, and finding time to sleep.

The hospitalizations and surgeries continued on. Cody had numerous hospitalizations for infections and asthma/airways concerns, as well as for his surgeries. His next surgeries were in March 2002, on Tina's birthday, in April 2002 he had 3 surgeries, and in July 2002 he had two surgeries. In November 2002 Cody had a seizure with an unknown cause right before going to Children's Hospital Philadelphia for a second opinion on his legs. After coming home from that appointment, Cody had an MRI of his hips and legs to see what structures were present on each leg. This MRI showed that Cody was missing his tibia and knee on both the left and right side. Mike and Tina's choices were few - to leave him in a wheelchair with legs that would not function for him and wouldn't even allow him to sit normally or to have the portion of his legs from the knees down amputated to give him the opportunity to walk with prostheses. Bilateral amputation surgery was scheduled for January 2003. In December 2002, Cody caught RSV and again was in the hospital. He was released the day before Christmas, but this caused his surgery to be postponed until later in January. After Cody's amputation, he was trying to stand on his stumps later that day. Mike and Tina were so impressed by how he continued to deal so well with being in a hospital environment and keep his always-cheery disposition. Cody never lets anything bring him down. Two months after Cody had his surgery he was fitted with his first prosthetics and walking with assistance! In August 2003, Cody again had a surgery, and subsequently, spent about 6 weeks in the hospital between August and November due to airway and respiratory concerns. Again, Tina stayed in the hospital away from Mike, and Mike worked, came to visit and relieve Tina, while trying to find time to sleep. Due to Cody's continual illnesses that winter, Mike, Tina and Cody had to cancel their Christmas plans just a few days before Christmas and stay in Dallas. Since Cody had been born, they had not spent any holidays with Mike's family in California, which was very difficult. Luckily, Tina's mom and stepfather were there in Dallas for support and to spend the holidays with.

In June 2004, Cody was diagnosed with severe Osteopenia, putting him at an extremely high risk for a bone to break. Cody had to spend three days as an outpatient, every four months, getting infusion therapy to help re-generate his bones. He did this for a year and a half, and is now in re-mission.

Besides all of the above surgeries, Cody has also needed "regular kid" procedures such as tubes in his ears and gall bladder removal.

Through all of this, Cody has had the opportunity to participate in horseback riding, gymnastics, t-ball, soccer, swimming, running, golf, flying a plane, and many other adventures. Cody's limitless attitude will get him far in life and help him to reach his goals.

Cody now has three different sets of prostheses. One set he uses for everyday walking, another, stubbies, for playing low on the ground with his friends, and a third, running prostheses, he uses for his athletic endeavors. Cody is currently in 1st grade. He swims, plays sled hockey, runs and plays the piano. His hope is to one day represent the United States of America in the Olympics or Paralympics, as well as to run a marathon, and complete a triathlon. Cody competed this past summer at the University of Central Oklahoma Endeavor Games in the 60 meter and 100 meter races, earning gold medals in each event for his classification, as well as swam the 25 meter freestyle and backstroke, again winning gold for his age and classification. In October, Team Cody will be going to the San Diego Triathlon Challenge. Cody will be running in the kid's fun run, as well as running a portion of the 13.1 miles for our triathlon team. This December, Cody completed the last mile for Team Cody in the Dallas White Rock Marathon.

Cody is active in the community by speaking with others about his limb difference and promoting Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and Challenged Athletes Foundation. His hope is that through his public appearances he will raise awareness of the abilities of children with limb differences, and raise funds to support programs that help Cody to reach his goals.

This is just a little of Cody's amazing story. There is so much more to it. It continues on a regular basis with the family having to endure multiple doctor's appointments and treatments to make Cody as independent as possible. Through it all, Cody remains an amazing spirit!

Double amputee loses legs, finds a cause

By Amy Chillag
CNN

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (CNN) -- An annual family boating trip to the Florida Keys took a bloody and life-changing turn for Jordan Thomas.


Noah Parton, 6, got prosthetics from foundation started by Jordan Thomas, right.

1 of 3 "It was a beautiful day, and we were going to go scuba diving," said Thomas, who was 16 during the 2005 trip.

But when he jumped into the water, the boat's wake dragged Thomas hard into sharp, whirling propellers.

He immediately knew what was about to happen.

"I looked down -- my black fins were gone, and all I saw was red just everywhere," said Thomas, an athletic teen who was captain of his high school's golf team. "But I had this unbelievable calmness over my body."

His father and mother, both doctors from Chattanooga, Tennessee, jumped into action.

"All of a sudden, my 16-year old, happy-go-lucky captain of the golf team was potentially dying," said Dr. Liz Kennedy-Thomas. Watch Thomas tell his story »

She worked to stanch the blood flow from her son's legs while his father rushed the boat to shore and fetched paramedics.

Thomas was rushed to a hospital, where he spent the next two weeks undergoing several surgeries on what was left of his legs and, along the way, discovering what would become his life's work.

While there, Thomas visited other amputees.

"I just remember seeing so many kids who didn't have parents, didn't have health care," he said. "I just knew that the future was grim for them."

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The top-of-the-line prosthetics Thomas was fitted with -- the ones that helped him return to the golf links -- cost about $24,000. He learned that many insurance plans cover only about $5,000.

That's especially tough on child amputees, who will outgrow several limbs before adulthood.

"I had no clue," he said. "It's one of those things, unless you're affected by it, you just don't know."

Thomas knew he was lucky. With a financially stable family, he'll always be able to afford good legs. He asked his family to give a donation to help others, but ultimately, with their support, the teenager launched a fundraising foundation to provide life-changing prosthetics to children in need.

"By the time we got home, we had bracelets -- all kinds of stuff," Kennedy-Thomas said. "The foundation was just sort of started by the time we got home."

The Jordan Thomas Foundation has raised more than $400,000 through bracelets, charity golf tournaments and cookouts. Some of that is paying for ongoing prosthetics for three children until they reach age 18.

One of them is Noah Parton.

The precocious 6-year-old was born with a congenital heart defect and had a complication with a tube inserted in his right leg, leading to an amputation above his knee.

His family's insurance would pay only for a "stubby," a wooden artificial leg without a bendable knee.

"His first bendable knee ... didn't have a certain number or something that would apply, and they refused to pay for it," said Noah's mother, Nancy Parton, who lives with her son about an hour north of Chattanooga, in Evensville, Tennessee.

Noah couldn't run and play with other children. And even day-to-day activities were tough.

"It was hard to put him in the car because his leg stuck out straight. And I'd have my seat up as far as it would go, and it would still hit the back of the seat," she said.

Thomas' foundation stepped in, buying Noah several knee devices -- a new one for each new leg he needs as he grows -- and a foot.

"He's so proud to show off how his knee bends," Thomas said. "And his foot has a split toe so he can wear sandals like his parents." Watch Noah show off his bendable knee prosthetic to Thomas »







Now, his mom says, Noah is unstoppable.

"He loves to climb stairs now; he tries to ride bicycles," she said. "You name it, he does it.

"Take him to the park [with] any other kid; he'll just blow you away."

While Thomas says his foundation still has a "mom-and-pop" feel, they plan to continue growing to help more children in need.

"If we provide them with prosthetics," said Thomas, "then that creates a whole gambit of opportunity for them to achieve whatever they want ... and I think they deserve that."

As Congress debates overhauling the nation's health care system, prosthetics are quietly getting some attention.

In May, Rep. Robert Andrews, a New Jersey Democrat, introduced the Prosthetic and Custom Orthotic Parity Act, which would require insurance companies to cover prosthetics at the same rate they do surgery.

"It's pretty simple," Andrews said. "Prosthetic devices are not cosmetic. You can't walk without one or you can't lift something without one, and I think one of the reasons people are so upset about the health care system in this country is they had hassles like this."









Seventeen states have passed similar laws, most recently Missouri. But amputee advocates say there needs to be a national law.

According to the Amputee Coalition of America, there are nearly 2 million amputees in the United States, and at least 25,000 of them are children.

Kendra Calhoun, president and CEO of the coalition, said that with more sweeping health care legislation taking all the attention, "our biggest hurdle [for a prosthetics law] right now is being heard."

Some insurance companies have said that premiums would go up for everyone if they were forced to cover prosthetics to the extent advocates want.

Advocates cite a study that they say shows it would cost beneficiaries about five cents per month.

Meanwhile, Thomas, a full-time college student in Charleston, South Carolina, spent the summer at home in Chattanooga working at a prosthetics and orthotics company.

"It is rewarding to actually make this stuff and work and then say, 'Now this guy's going to actually wear that,'" he said.

Thomas has no plans to slow down. He says he would like to become a voice for the amputee community and help many more children live "normal and happy, productive lives."


"When you're thrown into the situation, you just kind of adapt and you make the best of it," Thomas said. "There's nothing that I really cannot do."

Want to get involved? Check out the Jordan Thomas Foundation and see how to help.
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CNN's Allie Brown and Doug Gross contributed to this report.

Medical Watch: Child amputee an inspiration to family

11:52 AM CDT on Thursday, September 13, 2007

Meg Farris / Eyewitness News Medical Reporter

It was five years ago when Eyewitness News met Zachary Smith at Children's Hospital, just a few months shy of his first birthday – his parents were then faced with a critical decision. To save Zachary’s life, both his arms and both legs had to be amputated.



“(Doctors) said it was hour to hour, and if he would pull through the first 48 to 72 hours, his chances were better,” said Heidi Smith, Zachary’s mother.



Zachary’s lungs and kidneys had failed, his heart was beginning to do the same and his liver showed signs of problems as well.


“Zach was as sick an infant as I've ever treated in the now more than about 20 years that I've been at (Children’s Hospital) doing this,” said Dr. Judith Harris, a pediatric pulmonologist at LSU Health Sciences Center.


The problem was that staph bacteria, the kind that are resistant to antibiotics. It's normal for any of us to be exposed to staph bacteria on a daily basis, but an infant's immune system is just too week to fight it.






WWL-TV

Zachary's limbs had to be amputated when he developed life-threatening staph infection.

And now, Zachary just celebrated his sixth birthday, a thriving kindergartner at Bourg Elementary in Terrebonne Parish. His teachers have said he’s a remarkable child.


“I have been teaching 33 years and I have never met a child as inspirational as this child – ever,” said Yvonne White, a teacher at Bourg. “Yesterday afternoon I asked the children who was going to help me clean the floor. He was the first one up, picked up all the trash off the floor; just incredible.”


Zachary’s motto has been, ‘I can do anything.’ He’d rather not get any help from adults or classmates.


“I want to be telling them, ‘I don't need help, but I don't need help, but thank you,’” Zachary said.


It’s an attitude—part of Zachary’s character—his parents have worked hard to develop.


“It's just tough love that’s the only thing you can do to make sure he's going to be independent…and sometimes it's hard. Sometimes you want to do stuff for him,” said Eric Smith, Zachary’s father.


On Wednesday, Zachary got the ultimate ride to school as part of the “Grant-A-Wish” program from the Louisiana State Police Troop C. He and his dad were taken to school in a helicopter.


Students at Bourg Elementary were waiting on campus for Zachary’s celebrity-style arrival.


“There was not a dry eye for any teacher here, it was such a wonderful thing,” said Mary Justice, Bourg Elementary Principal.


State Trooper Gilbert Dardar said moments like these make his job worthwhile.


“It just brings tears to your eyes,” Dardar said. “And when we landed the helicopter and we saw his mom…coming up to the helicopter and she's crying.”






WWL-TV

Zachary has developed an "I can do it" mentality during his short life.

Zachary admitted to being scarred at first when the helicopter took off, but said later, “It was just like a big plane.”


Now a family of five, Heidi remembers a time when they grieved the loss of Zachary's limbs, but were ever so grateful for the life that doctors saved.


And when she and her husband look at this productive, strong-willed, highly motivated and intelligent person, they said the fears they once had for his future disappear.


“He’s a blessing, he's an inspiration,” his mother said. “He makes you thankful for the simple things that we take for granted. Even though he can do them all, he has to put forth more effort to do them.”


The Troop C “Grant-A-Wish” program surprised the Smith family with another gift: they’re sending them to Disney World over the holidays.

Fort Bragg Soldier becomes the first amputee to complete Jumpmaster Course

Photo credit Sgt. 1st Class Jason Baker



Sgt. 1st Class Mike Fairfax, left, a Special Forces intelligence sergeant with Operations Detachment, 3rd Special Forces Group, inspects a Soldier's parachute while performing duties as a safety aboard an aircraft over a drop zone above Raeford, N.C.

FORT BRAGG, N.C. - For most Soldiers, when they join the Army there are a set of schools they set their eyes on as goals to complete. Schools like, Air Assault, Ranger and Pathfinder. For any airborne qualified noncommissioned officer, the natural goal would be the Jumpmaster Course.

For one NCO achieving this goal faced more than just a minor set back; but Sgt. 1st Class John (Mike) Fairfax, Special Forces Intelligence NCO, Headquarters Support Company, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), became the first amputee Soldier to successfully complete the Jumpmaster Course, Nov. 15, 2008, and performed his first duty Dec. 3, 2008.

For Fairfax, this journey began the summer of 2005 in a remote region of Afghanistan when his truck was struck by an improvised explosive device.

In the attack he suffered a severe injury to his right leg, as well as injuries to his right eye and left lung. His team's medic, Sgt. 1st Class Derrick Coyme, quickly went to work to stop the massive bleeding caused by the severed femoral artery.

Just before losing consciousness Fairfax faced the realistic possibility he may not survive the attack, because of his heavy loss of blood and the team's remote location.

Fortunately, he survived, and his next memory is waking to the voice of his wife at his bedside in the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Fairfax knew he was not in the best condition, but felt committed to recovering from his injuries.

"It never crossed my mind that I wouldn't get back to a team," said Farifax. "My only goal was to get better and continue on with business as usual."

Initially, Fairfax still had his right leg, through several surgeries and battles with infection, doctors were able to save it and he began the long road of rehabilitation.

December of that same year, Fairfax returned to the group and his leadership gave him one mission: "go get better."

By June 2006 Fairfax was back to work, but spent over a year struggling with the pain of the injured leg. After several surgeries to repair the leg to make it more functional and reduce the pain had failed, a friend and fellow amputee joked that he should just cut the leg off.

Fairfax gave the option serious consideration. After consulting several doctors and amputee Soldiers, he decided to go through with the amputation.

A year prior to the day of his graduation from the Jumpmaster Course, he had the operation to remove his right leg. The next year would be spent dealing with a cycle of rehabilitation and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Each time the MRSA would come back he was forced to remain off the prosthetic.

Once healed, he would have to rebuild the muscle strength to walk in the socket again. When it was time for the Jumpmaster Course, it had only been three weeks since his last bout with a MRSA infection and his return to using the prosthetic leg.

"Only being in the socket three weeks really increased the physical demand," said Fairfax. "It takes time to build up the hip flexors and other muscles. I was pretty sore each night during the course."

The majority of the course focuses on the jumpmaster personnel inspection. The sequence requires the jumpmaster to squat or bend down to visually inspect the jumper's equipment. Most jumpmasters will go into a deep squat during this portion as, going to a knee will take more time to get up and continuing the inspection.

During the final test students are required to properly inspect three jumpers and in five minutes find all deficiencies and conduct the inspection in the exact inspection sequence. For Fairfax his only option was to drop to a knee.

For fellow students in the course this would be the only clue that he was missing a leg. "Most guys saw him kind of limping around, but didn't know he was missing a leg," said the noncommissioned officer in charge during the course, Master Sgt. David West, from 2nd Bn., 3rd SFG.

"It wasn't until our first rotation in the (JMPI) circle and he dropped down on the concrete slab. It made such a loud sound all the guys turned and looked. The crack was so loud it sounded like rounds were dropping in. One guy asked him 'did that hurt' and he responded, "no, I don't have a knee."

Though disadvantaged, there were no changes made to the course's standards. The jumpmaster is typically one of the U.S. Army's more challenging schools; the standards for success are purposefully strict. A typical course will see a 50 percent pass/fail rate.

"Before the start of the course I told myself, failure is not an option," said Fairfax. "I knew I would be paving the way for other amputees to go through the course and I didn't want this to be something they couldn't do." Not only did his success provide fellow amputees with inspiration, but fellow Green Berets as well.

"The majority of the guys and all of the instructors were impressed," said West. "Most were saying to ourselves, 'holy smokes, would I be able to do that?' To do what he did with a prosthetic leg is a very real inspiration. These are the kind of guys you want in SF. The guys who are going to find a way to get things done, no matter what the circumstances are they will accomplish the task."

West added that this is the kind of Soldier Fairfax has always been. "When you wear an SF tab, you hold yourself to a higher standard," said Fairfax. "If this can give another guy a glimmer of hope, then that's a good thing. Sometimes you need someone to look up to ... someone to look to when you're down."

Fairfax expressed gratitude toward his command for supporting him through his recovery and providing him a way to still be a contributing member of the group.

"It has always been one of my goals," said Fairfax. "If I can't be on a team, at least I can be a productive Soldier in the group." Just as any good Soldier does, Fairfax has set his eye on more training and goals for the future. "I don't want this to be the last thing I do," he concluded.

April Holmes--The Fastest Amputee in the World

Sport: Track and Field
Residence: Somerdale, New Jersey
April Holmes went from an all-star high school and college athlete to a promising Paralympian. Best known for her deep faith and resilience, April is active in her church and uses her faith and experiences to uplift those who, like her, have acquired their disability through tragedy.
A high school 400-meter champion, Holmes later earned multiple NCAA All-American honors as a sprinter at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, VA. When she lost her leg in a train accident in 2001, she didn’t despair about her new situation.
Since her accident, April has made remarkable strides as both an athlete and advocate for individuals with disabilities. A little more than a year after her accident, April was back on the track in her debut Paralympic competition: Disabled Sport USA’s “International Challenge.” Not only did she win the 100-meters, but her time qualified her to the International Paralympic Committee’s World Championships, which were held later that summer in Lillie, France. In France, she won a silver medal in the 100m and set an American record of 14.12 seconds for her classification.




In January, 2003, April was featured in a music video for rapper Shaggy’s “Strength of a Woman,” which aired on music stations across the United States and overseas. The following year, at the 2004 Summer Paralympic Games of Athens, April won a bronze medal in the women’s long jump competition. In addition, she set new world records in her classification in the 100m (13.13 seconds), and 200m (27.51 seconds). Her latest feats include breaking her own world records in the 100m and 200m at the 2006 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships in Atlanta, GA. Also in 2006, April won the gold medal in the 100m and 200m and the bronze medal in the long jump at the IPC World Championships in Assen, The Netherlands. Finally in 2007, April won the silver medal in the 100m at the Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China, April won the gold medal in the 100m.




Off the track, she has created the April Holmes Foundation to further opportunities for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities.
April already has her sights set on the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. Knowing April’s strength, stamina and resilience, she is surely an athlete whose name you will continue to hear leading up to the 2008 Paralympic Games.
Through her determination, winning spirit and accomplishments, April embodies The Hartford’s belief that the sky’s the limit when we focus on an individual’s abilities, instead of on his or her perceived physical limitations.

A year after stroke in jamboree football game, Christian Bauerle, 17, hopes to play for Soquel High's basketball team

By JIM SEIMAS
A year ago, Soquel High's Christian Bauerle suffered a stroke on the football field that left him fighting for his life.

It's been a remarkable recovery for the newly turned 17-year-old, who was left temporarily paralyzed last August.

Bauerle -- described by Knights coaches as the best athlete in the junior class before the stroke -- has not only learned to walk, talk and eat again, he's swimming, running and catching and throwing balls. He has been assured roster spots on both the Knights' football and basketball teams -- his inspirational story of rehabilitation ensured that.

Bauerle, however, isn't satisfied with just appearing in the team photo and sitting on the bench -- he wants to earn an on-court role for the Knights' basketball team, to be a contributor and fully regain his athletic prowess.

"I told him the other day, You can't let anybody put limits on you,'" said football coach Ron Myers. "And, thing is, no one is doubting him."

Because of the threat of further injury and conceivably another stroke on the football field, Bauerle is focused solely on basketball and on making himself the best player possible.

"I'm bummed I'm not going to play," Bauerle said of football, his first love. "But I'm lucky it worked out like it did. I got through it, so why worry? I've just got to bite the bullet and keep going."

While Bauerle has regained 80 percent of his skill set, according to his father, the motivated teenager is hardly pleased with his current status.

"I used to be really good," said Bauerle after a recent training session with Tom Curtiss, a Soquel-based personal basketball instructor. "But right now, I'm not good enough to be on the [basketball] team. My dribbling is not good, my shooting is not good. I know I can play with these guys, but I have crappy form. I have to get better."

He has two more months to get into playing shape.

For now, Bauerle's serving as manager on the football






Soquel High's Christian Bauerle makes a recovery from the stroke he suffered in 2008
team, which will keep him on the sidelines charting plays, getting water and boosting morale -- he's pretty good at that. He never stops smiling.

Bauerle aspires to be more than a name on a basketball's team roster -- he wants to be a contributor on the court. He realizes there's plenty more work to be done to make his goal reality.

The mere fact that Bauerle -- a tan and muscular 5-foot-10, 180-pounder -- is back on his feet, talking, laughing and accepting congratulations from everyone who crosses his path already makes his story remarkable.

A year ago Saturday, the setting wasn't so pretty. It was downright terrifying, if you ask his father.

"It was a grim as grim can get without dying," Randy Bauerle said of what he witnessed before his son's surgery Aug. 29, 2008. "They said if he makes it through surgery he might not be any better than he was. And he was basically comatose. The [doctors] don't pull any punches. They don't give you any false hope at all. He couldn't talk, couldn't eat, he couldn't move. He was basically a vegetable at that point."

On Aug. 28, 2008, while playing in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League junior varsity jamboree, Bauerle's athletic career, and life as he knew it, changed. Shortly after making a tackle, Bauerle removed himself from the scrimmage because he didn't feel right and underwent testing on the sideline.

He said the left side of his body was shaking and that his right leg felt like it was bouncing.

Minutes later, when the jamboree ended, Bauerle, who played quarterback and cornerback, collapsed as he attempted to join teammates at a meeting near the end zone.

It was a hectic scene, said Myers, then the school's athletic director.

"You could tell something different was going on, something extreme," Myers said. "I remember sprinting the entire length of the football field to get the sheriff to get an ambulance. I had a hamstring injury days from days earlier -- it's amazing what adrenaline will do. I didn't stop the whole way."

No one on the field knew what was going on, just that Bauerle needed medical attention fast. In reality, he had several blood clots in his brain stem artery, causing the then 16-year-old to suffer the first of several strokes.

The strokes affected his memory, but Bauerle recalls one thing -- he was and is unable to control his laughter.

"The scrimmage ended and I was walking to the end zone," Bauerle said. "I couldn't do that. After that, it gets fuzzy. I know I threw up. They were asking me to say the names of the coaches and I was busting up. I was laughing the entire time at Dominican [Hospital] and unconscious on the helicopter ride to [Stanford University Medical Center]."

On Aug. 29, 2008, he had surgery to remove the blood clots from his brain stem.

"As bad as Aug. 28 was, Aug. 29 was the worst day I've had in my life -- by far," said Randy, an accountant in Los Gatos. "I didn't know if I was ever going to see my boy alive again when I kissed him going into the operation."

At Soquel, several football players left class to go into a private room and think of their fallen teammate.

"That was a blow," said teammate Paul Morgan. "Christian was like a brother to me. There were like 10 of us who went into a separate room. We were sitting together, praying and crying."

After the surgery, Bauerle lay motionless. He said he could feel his body but was unable to talk.

"The first thing I remember is the nurse changing my diapers," said Bauerle, who was lying on his back. "I had things in my neck and mouth, tubes all over me. I could feel my body, except the right side. It was like I was lying on it. It was really weird."

At least he was alive.

About 795,000 people suffer a stroke each year -- 25 percent of the victims are under age 65, according to strokecenter.org. More than 140,000 people die each year from stroke in the United States, making it the third leading cause of death in the country and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability.

Bauerle spent two motionless weeks in his Stanford hospital bed. His frame was in the process of whittling to 135 pounds.

"We were just so numb," Randy said. "After the surgery, we got the grimmest prognosis from the doctor: that if he survived, half his body would be non-functional. My face was in my hands and [I was crying], all that stuff. But my uncle, Jack Sullivan, he's the leader of the family. He's like Ronald Reagan, Bill Walsh and Phil Jackson. He can make anyone feel positive. When he says something, you listen. And he said, We don't give up.' At that point, he helped guide me on helping Christian."






And then fate stepped in.

The simple movement of his left arm gave doctors hope that Bauerle might respond to aggressive physical therapy. First he'd need to undergo a tracheotomy and be fitted with a gastric feeding tube.

Days later, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center's Rehabilitation Center agreed to take Bauerle as a patient.

Bauerle, still unable to refrain from laughing at times as a side effect from the stroke, said he had no choice but to be driven.

"I'm always laughing," said Bauerle, whose voice sometimes gets deep. "That probably helped keep me in a good mood. It's not like I was crying or something."

Heavily medicated after the surgeries, Bauerle remembers the first time he found himself sitting in a wheelchair at Valley Medical. He yearned to stand up, but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon -- it took three people to lift him from his hospital bed to the wheelchair. He couldn't move any part of his body.

He wanted to pass a football and basketball to his teammates again. But, more than anything, he wanted to take his dog Maverick, a 3-year-old Lab and golden retriever mix, for walks.

"I'm not going to do this," said Bauerle, thinking of life in a wheelchair. "I'm done with this. ... Right away, I knew if I was to get out of the situation, I had to work my butt off."

It was a daily grind. Initially, something as simple as standing was an exercise in futility. Bauerle's cardiovascular system, like many bedridden people, was initially unresponsive to being vertical, causing him to faint.

His rehab in San Jose was an eight-week program, one filled with baby steps. Hanging on each step was Bauerle's family, including mother Jennifer, stepmother Karen and siblings Matt, 20, Derek, 11, and Ashley, 3, and seemingly the entire Soquel community. A Web site, christianbauerle.blogspot.com, was set up to keep the public abreast of his progress.

"It was just little by little," Randy said, "little victories every day."

Family friend Bill Fields, a physical therapist at Fields in Motion in Campbell, was one of many who helped Bauerle rehab.

"Because I only saw him once a week, his progression was outstanding," said Fields, noting he gave Randy exercises that he could put Christian through. "When I first saw him, he had no volitional movement of his upper extremities, aside from twitching his finger. Two times later, he's trying to throw a Nerf basketball at a target."

Randy filmed his son's progress with his cell phone and sent footage to friends and family in e-mails.

When football coach Myers received them, he shared the footage with his players, many of whom later made trips to the hospital to cheer their fallen teammate.

On Nov. 7, Bauerle was released from Valley Med's rehab center. That night, he attended the Knights' game against Scotts Valley, showing up in the locker room for a varsity team meeting prior to the kickoff and standing on the sideline the duration of the game.

Still, Bauerle was hardly himself, his father said.

He walked like a 70-year-old man, but to his parents, he looked like Olympic sprinter Carl Lewis.

"He jumped one inch his last week of therapy," Randy said. "We wanted him to be there one week longer -- it was all an insurance thing."

Now, he can nearly touch a 10-foot-high basketball rim. In his prime, he could grab it.

Still, the treatment went so well, Valley Med decided to use him as a poster boy for its physical therapy program. Bauerle recently was featured in a video produced at the hospital to encourage others facing a similar crisis. He also plans to serve as a mentor in the program with Randy.

"I want to try to be inspirational to other people," said Bauerle, noting he had a mentor in close friend Shayne Perryman, a basketball player at Watsonville's St. Francis High who had brain surgery. "At that point, things are not going easy, but I saw Shayne could do it. ... I was in rehab for two months, but it seemed like forever. I remember wanting to bust out of there and go home."

Many call Bauerle's recovery a miracle. And he's become an inspiration to classmates, said his teammate Morgan, who gave up his No. 7 jersey to Bauerle to wear on the sidelines this season.

Bauerle wore No. 7 on junior varsity last season. Morgan now dons No. 4.

"You can't go out here and feel sorry for yourself when you see him out here," Morgan said of the difficulties of daily football practice. "He's an inspiration. He was 135 pounds when he was in the hospital and now he's as strong as an ox again. He's a giant inspiration. ... For him to be out here, giving him that [jersey number] was the least I could do. He'll always be part of the family and tradition. He earned his spot on the team."

After Bauerle's release from Valley Medical, the workload seemingly intensified. He had plenty of school work to catch up on. Moreover, his voice hadn't recovered from the surgery and stroke. One of the first classes he took upon returning to Soquel was choir. Another was weight training with Myers.

Bauerle participated in summer school and currently is taking seven classes.

The rehab never ended either.

Randy is constantly creating challenges with his son to push him to return to his old self.

A day after his release, Randy took his son to the stairs leading down to Seacliff State Beach, used by many athletes to train.

"It's about 150 steps," Randy said. "He walked it four times. I was hoping for two, if that."

Randy makes sure there is incentive for more difficult sessions, like the time he offered tickets to a San Francisco Giants game, endless supplies of food and a baseball cap if his son ran three miles on the sand from Seacliff to New Brighton State Beach.

He bought his son an iPhone last month when Christian started using his right hand more.

Eventually, Bauerle made his way back into the ocean.

Last month, he competed in the CORE Run-Swim-Run event, but was unable to finish.

He lacked the stamina, he said. But he gives the appearance of being fully recovered.

"He has such a positive attitude and work ethic," Myers said. "If you see him with his shirt off, he's like Adonis now, with all these muscles. He worked so hard."

The Bauerles own a weight set at their Soquel home and Randy said he's currently throwing a five-pound medicine ball with his son. Part of the goal is to get him back in playing condition for basketball season.

He's taking private lessons with Curtiss, who runs Shot Science.

At a session Thursday, Bauerle dribbled the ball through his legs, working it around his body in a Figure 8 drill. His tongue hung from his mouth as he focused intently on maintaining possession.

Seconds later, he dribbled two balls simultaneously the length of the court. Every few dribbles, Bauerle had to chase a wayward ball. He smiled, seemingly enjoying being tested.

"Head up, head up, look at the pretty girl," said Curtiss, encouraging his client as he dribbled.

Then Bauerle worked on driving to the basket aggressively for layups and arcing the ball on short-range jumpers. Beads of sweat streamed from his tan forehead onto the basketball court. His royal blue Air Jordan T-shirt was drenched.

After practice, Bauerle hiked over a hill to Soquel's football field to watch practice and lend a hand, if needed.

Teammates howled when they noticed his arrival and declared their love for him. One teammate asked to be featured in the Christian Bauerle life story when Hollywood comes knocking.

They know where he was in his worst state and what it took to get to his current state.

The coaches' response to him isn't much different.

"He may not be the player he was before or potentially what he could have been," said Knights basketball coach Stu Walters, "but just to see him put on a uniform will be unbelievable."

Bauerle isn't surprised by his progression. He'd done tougher things training for athletics.





"In my mind, I don't think it's a miracle," he said. "I knew from the beginning what I had to do. I feel like it's a job well done. I did my work and got rewarded for it."

And he's not done yet.

Third time lucky! Mosha the miracle elephant is fitted with another prosthetic leg after landmine tragedy

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 7:07 PM on 15th August 2009



Comments (1) Add to My Stories Victims of landmines come in all shapes and sizes and Mosha the elephant is no exception.
Mosha, a baby elephant from Thailand, became the world's first pachyderm to be fitted with a prosthetic limb in 2007.
But the three-year-old has been growing so quickly she's outgrown two previous artificial legs and is now on her third.
Enlarge Record breaker: Baby elephant Mosha is the first elephant in the world to be fitted with a prosthetic leg - and she's now on her third artificial limb









Enlarge Victim: Mosha lost her limb after stepping on a landmine, but has managed to cope perfectly on her artificial leg
Amazingly, Mosha is not the only elephant to be fitted with an artificial limb.
Another landmine victim, Motola, will also receive a prosthetic leg this weekend - 10 years after losing her left leg.

'I do hope she will accept the new leg. It would be wonderful to see Motola and Baby Mosha walking together side-by-side," said Soraida Salvala, secretary general of the charity Friends of the Asian Elephant.
Motola was injured in 1999 while she was working at a logging camp along the Myanmar-Thailand border. The area is known to be covered in land mines.
Her badly injured foot was amputated and the elephant managed to hobble along on three legs after the operation.
Prosthetics for pachyderms: Artificial leg expert Terdchai Cheevakate holds a cast of Motola's injured left leg as they prepare to fit her with her new limb









Trunk-tastic: Motola, her injured foot covered by canvas, has learned to use her trunk to lean against the bars of her enclosure. With her new leg being fitted today, she can afford to give her trunk a rest!
She was fitted with a canvas, shoe-like device two years ago, but will receive her own tailor-made artificial leg this weekend.
'It has been 10 years now, but in all these long years Motola enjoyed a happy life, walking out of her shelter for a sun bath,' said Salvala.






Experts in Thailand have already made casts of Motola's injured left foot for the permanent plastic leg. It must be strong enough to support the 48-year-old's three-ton weight.
Although Motola is the second elephant to receive an artificial leg, she has already been in the record books following her injury.
During the operation to remove her left foot, she received enough anaesthetic to knock out 70 people - a fact that put her into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2000.




Motola's new leg is being constructed by the Prostheses Foundation, an organisation that usually makes cheap but effective artificial limbs for human amputees.
Forever friends: Soraida Salvala comforts Motola before she is fitted for her new leg. Salvala says Motola's story is just one of many injured elephants in Thailand
The injuries of the two elephants have highlighted the difficulties facing the majestic creatures in Thailand.




Both are now being cared for at the Elephant Hospital in Northern Thailand. The hospital was set up by the FAE and is the only elephant hospital in the world.
It has treated thousands of elephants for ailments ranging from eye infection to gunshot wounds.
A number of elephants have also been injured by land mines, but the charity says this is just one problem facing the animals in Thailand.

They say the number of domesticated pachyderms has dropped from 13,400 in 1950 to today's estimated 2,500, while the number of wild elephants has also dropped dramatically.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206733/Mosha-miracle-elephant-fitted-new-prosthetic-leg-landmine-tragedy.html#ixzz0Pmi5ILAD

Amazing Maynard lives the MMA dream

By Mike Chiappetta

Kyle Maynard has made a living out of going above and beyond expectations.
At just 23 years old, Kyle Maynard has his own business, owns a three-floor townhouse, has written a New York Times best-seller and is one of the most sought-after motivational speakers in the country. He played football in middle school, became an excellent wrestler in high school and is a certified instructor in CrossFit, a popular strength and conditioning program.



He is also a congenital amputee, with arms that end at the elbows and legs that end near his knees.



By this point of his life, you would figure that his history of success would have served to quiet every last doubter. But for the past two years, Maynard has been stopped from participating in one of his new passions: mixed martial arts.



On Saturday at Auburn Fight Night in Auburn, Ala., Maynard will make his long-awaited amateur MMA debut before what is expected to be a crowd of several thousand fans. The event will also be available online at kylemaynardfight.com.



The prospect of Maynard fighting has drawn differing opinions in the MMA world. In 2007, Maynard was denied a fighter's license by the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission. That attempt drew debate on online forums that continues to simmer today, but after battling for a chance to get in the cage, Maynard and promoter David Oblas decided to circumvent any bureaucratic red tape by fighting in Alabama, a state in which MMA remains unregulated.



"Frankly, I haven't had anyone provide a rational reason [why] I can't fight, including the [Georgia] athletic commission," Maynard said. "The commission has a lot to lose and nothing to gain by giving me a license. My intention was not to turn this into a court battle. I didn't want to make this a civil rights thing. I just wanted to fulfill a dream."



The central debate over Maynard's participation lies in whether he has the ability to adequately defend himself. His training résumé suggests that he does. On the heels of his wrestling success, Maynard began training four years ago, and in the period since has spent time on the mat with a host of accomplished pro fighters, including the legendary Pat Miletich, Rory Singer, Robbie Lawler, Josh Neer, Spencer Fisher and Brian Bowles.




These days, his primary jiu-jitsu trainer is Paul Creighton, a onetime UFC fighter who fought BJ Penn in 2002. Creighton thinks Maynard is ready for the challenge, and it's worth noting that he speaks from an educated opinion: He has a master's degree in health and physical education and holds black belts in jiu-jitsu, karate and judo.



"Kyle is very good," Creighton said. "He submits a lot of guys. People wonder 'How does he do submissions?' Well, I can tell you, he's very proficient and he's very strong. He's a bull."



Maynard's parents are also on board with his fighting dreams. His father, Scott, who wrestled in college and did some boxing, often talks strategy with Kyle. His mother, Anita, is like most MMA moms: supportive but looking forward to the match being over.



Because of his condition, Maynard will be considered a downed fighter, and therefore cannot be kicked to the head, but he will fight under the same rules as the other eight amateur bouts on the card, which disallow elbows to the head of grounded opponents. Striking, wrestling and submissions are all fair game.



"It's the biggest misconception to think I can't strike," Maynard said. "It cracks me up how many people think that. I'm not going to be an Ernesto Hoost kickboxer, but I can strike."



Given the attention being paid to the bout, the identity of Maynard's opponent is being kept under wraps until the official weigh-ins. The fighter is from Wisconsin and has a 1-1 record. Oblas also has two backups on alert should they be needed. The fight will be contested at 135 pounds.



Oblas, who has been promoting events since 2002, has been friends with Maynard for several years and can still remember the day when Maynard called to inquire about fighting an MMA bout.



Oblas had the same questions everyone else is asking now: "How are you going to defend yourself?" "How are you going to strike?" "How are you going to wear gloves when you don't have hands?"



"We went out and talked to trainers, and they all felt this was an OK idea for him to fight," Oblas said. "No one felt more uneasy about his risk of getting injured than any other amateur fighter."





Maynard has always been a sports enthusiast. Growing up in Indiana, he played football and street hockey and wrestled with his neighborhood friends. After moving to Georgia, he briefly felt out of place but used sports to integrate himself into the community, playing nose tackle on his youth football team at 11. Since then he has set weightlifting records, won an ESPY award and modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch.



His whole life, he has been amazing people with his refusal to believe in limitations. In the process, he has touched millions. He's had people tell him that his story stopped them from committing suicide or that it motivated them to live healthier lives, and he hopes to continue that impact in the future.



But Saturday isn't about anyone else. It's not about setting an example or being inspirational or proving the doubters wrong. In the close quarters of combat, there is too much at stake for that.



"This time," he said, "I'm doing it for me."





Mike Chiappetta is a freelance writer who has written for NBCSports.com and FIGHT! Magazine. He can be reached at mgc324@gmail.com.

The inspirational story of Andover Pee Wee Sam McPhillips

05/13/09
By Glen Andresen



The ice rinks throughout The State of Hockey produce some of the most interesting, compelling, and inspirational stories found in Minnesota. Case in point is the story of Sam McPhillips, a Pee Wee in the Andover association.
The ice rinks throughout The State of Hockey produce some of the most interesting, compelling, and inspirational stories found in Minnesota. Case in point is the story of Sam McPhillips, a Pee Wee in the Andover association. Sam has had a prosthetic leg for more than 11 of his 12 years of life. Putting on his leg every morning is as habitual to him as hitting the snooze button a couple times in the morning like a typical seventh grader would.



“It’s just like an everyday thing,” claims Sam matter-of-factly. “When I go to bed, I take it off. When I wake up, I put it on. I have it on all day.”



Sam enjoys sports, spending time with his friends and playing video games, just like a typical seventh grader does.



Passing a puck, swinging a bat and catching a lacrosse ball come as naturally to Sam as they do to any typical seventh grade athlete. Despite his prosthetic leg, there is really not a challenge he hasn’t been able to take on in his short life, except for maybe one.



In 12 years, Sam still hasn’t quite mastered the pronunciation of the affliction he was born with.



“Febilino?” he wonders aloud while looking to his father, Tony McPhillips, for help.



Actually, as Tony points out with a smile at his son’s latest attempt, Sam was born with Type 3 Fibular Hemimelia, which means he was born without a fibula bone (or calf bone) in his left leg. When he was nine months old, Sam underwent a Syme amputation and was fitted with a prosthetic leg at 10 months.



Sam hasn’t known anything other than having one composite leg, which attaches just below his left knee. He hasn’t let it affect him in any aspect of his life, especially sports.



Just last month, Sam made the Andover Peewee "A" team, which to many might seem like a remarkable feat. To Sam, it is just another step toward what he hopes is a future career in the National Hockey League.



Sure, it’s a lofty goal, but Sam has also accomplished a lot in his brief hockey career, perhaps the most important of which is having earned the respect of his teammates, who frequently forget that Sam is built a bit differently from them.



“He’s just one of the kids, that’s the best way to say it,” said Mark Manney, one of the co-head coaches of the Andover Peewee "A" team. “The subject of his leg never comes up with the other kids. I think sometimes Sam may be a little self-conscious of it, but I’ve never heard another kid even mention it.”



“It’s his effort that allows him to be one of the kids,” he continued. “If he took a night off, or started feeling sorry for himself, maybe the kids would treat him differently. But he doesn’t.”



In fact, Sam doesn’t take a night, a day, or a shift off. During preseason peewee skating sessions, Sam asked the coaches if he could participate in the early and late sessions. The coaches obliged, and were blown away by his effort in both.



Sam is that player that opposing players can’t stand to contend with. He’s not the biggest kid on the ice. In fact, he’s one of the smallest. He and his dad also can’t point to blazing speed or extreme muscle as the reason, either.



“He made the “A” team because of his heart, and his effort,” said his dad. “Every shift, he tries real hard. He has a big heart.”



When trying to gather a puck out of the corner, Sam is going to be the one pestering the opposing defenseman from behind with his stick, constantly jabbing at the puck. He’s the little water bug that hops to whatever spot the puck is going to be, not giving the opposition time to think about what to do with it. He’s the kid that will poke away at a rebound until one of three things happens: a goal is scored, a whistle blows the play dead, or he’s is pulled off the pile by every opponent and referee on the ice.



“He goes hard from whistle to whistle…and sometimes after,” joked Manney.



“He’s very, very competitive,” adds Tony, who was asked to be an assistant coach after Sam made the team. “He likes to win.”



Neither coach, nor dad will get an argument from Sam on that assertion. “I love competing, and being out there with my friends,” says Sam. “I hustle a lot.”



A spectator would have to be told that Sam has a prosthetic leg to know his affliction when watching him compete. The leg is hidden by shin pads and socks, and there is certainly no evidence in his skating ability.



“I found out about Sam’s leg after about five or six practices when one of the other coaches mentioned it to me,” said Manney. “I was amazed, because I think part of the reason he gets treated like all of the other kids is because he outworks all the other kids. He shows up and goes hard from beginning to end.”



“I don’t think there is any doubt that he is the hardest worker. I don’t think any of the other kids would argue with that.”



Almost as impressive as Sam’s work ethic and accomplishments, is the way his teammates have responded to his situation. Sam is open about his leg, and in turn, his friends and teammates rarely, if ever, bring it up.



“They just ask me how it happened, and then they just accept it,” said Sam of both his teammates, and classmates. “I just tell them it’s a disease with a really hard name to pronounce.”



Tony admits that there was a bit of concern that kids may not be as accepting of his son because he is a bit different from them below one of his knees.



“I don’t know if it’s because we treat him like anybody else, or if kids these days are different from when I was little,” said Tony. “His friends all accept it, and they treat him like anyone else. It’s nothing that they’re afraid of.”



While Sam would probably prefer to have two legs like anyone else, his affliction hasn’t stopped him from having fun every day on the playing field. Because he is so active, Sam gets fitted for a new leg every three or four months at Shriner's hospital. Each time he gets one with a cool design, showcasing favorite teams like the Twins, the Wild, and currently, the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota.



Sam can have fun with it off the playing field as well.



During elementary school, Sam’s parents worked through his teachers to make the first day of school a show-and-tell day for Sam. That way, he was able to get the subject out there for discussion right after the bell to open the school year. Each time, he would take off his leg, pass it around the room and tell them why he has one prosthetic leg. Of course, one year he got a little carried away and said that he was bitten by a shark.



“I’m sure he’d rather have two legs, but that’s the way it was meant to be for him, and our family,” said Tony. “We’ve been waiting for the ‘why me?’ conversation, but we haven’t had it. He hasn’t had that kind of attitude, ever.”



Sam has never had a hesitation about anything. He plays sports with reckless abandon, and he doesn’t hide his prosthetic. Every summer, he’ll be wearing shorts on a daily basis. He’s got nothing to hide, and his situation has inspired those around him, including his proud father.



“I’m not the best communicator,” admits Tony. “I used to have to get up in front of 100 people for my job, and I would think about Sam before I went up there. If he can live life and not be shy, what do I have to fear in getting up and saying what I know in front of these people?”



“So I’ve learned some things from him.”



Sam is likely not aware of his inspiration to his dad, and now others. After all, he’s only 12, and he’s had his detachable leg nearly his entire life. It hasn’t made him different from any other kid.



He’s just your typical seventh grader, with one fake leg, and one enormous heart.

Double Amputee Skydives

Updated: Friday, 07 Aug 2009, 7:33 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 07 Aug 2009, 6:35 PM EDT

By MOLLY HENNEBERG/myfoxdc
BETHESDA, Md. - A tragic military skydiving accident took his legs and the life of his friend, but it didn't take Dana Bowman's drive.

The former Golden Knight soldier is still inspiring others from thousands of feet in the air.

With his Purple Heart parachute and American flag in tow, Bowman jumped from a plane, hitting his mark at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Friday.

Bowman says it was awesome. He lost both his legs in a military skydiving accident back in 1994 that also claimed the life of his skydiving partner. He was brought to Walter Reed for treatment, and has never forgotten those who helped make him whole again.

"They took great care of me, just like their doing for our soldiers here today," Bowman said of the people at Walter Reed.

Every year, Walter Reed helps more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military. Bowman wants his fearless flight to serve as a message of hope.

"The message is for the old, the young, the new, the disabled, the physically challenged -- especially our wounded soldiers-- no matter what happens to you, whether you're civilian world or military, you can still continue on," Bowman said.

Army Private 1st Class Brendan Marrocco, a quadruple amputee, was injured in Iraq on Easter Sunday by a roadside bomb. He's says he was inspired by Bowman's jump.
"It's fantastic," said Marrocco. "I love it. I wanna, he's setting me up so I can do it myself, that would be absolutely amazing to me, to be able to do that."

"You know you can't give up," Bowman said. "We show people, my motto is it's not the disability, it's the ability. We have to give back. We're only given one chance in life. I'll tell ya, we have to do the best of it."

Bowman is now a motivational speaker who has dedicated his life to inspiring wounded soldiers, and all Americans with disabilities.

Bowman is now training for his new adventure, which he says will happen in 18 months when he will skydive from what he calls "the edge of space."

Young Amputee Inspires

Wesley Hughes lost his leg after
skiing accident
Updated: Thursday, 06 Aug 2009, 5:59 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 06 Aug 2009, 5:59 PM EDT

BY BETH PARKER/myfoxdc
WASHINGTON - Nineteen-year-old Wesley Hughes can handle pretty much anything that comes his way.

Back on January 11, 2009, he was racing down a slope with his college ski team when he ran off the trail.

Wes told Fox 5, "I saw that I was gonna go off and it was almost like time froze. And then it was like - fast, fast."

He broke both bones, severed the main artery in his left leg, and lost a lot of blood.

Doctors told Wes he came close to dying that day. He survived, but he had to have his left leg amputated.

"I have been an adventurous type of person and always wanting to do this and that. I'm just taking this like a new challenge and learning how to do everything I can again," said Wes.

Three-and-a-half weeks after his accident, Wes was already walking on a prosthesis. He's posted his progress on You Tube and strangers message him for advice.

"I just wanna get back to normal as quick as possible and just go on with my life. And the fact that I am an inspiration is great. But I don't feel - I don't brag about it or anything," said Wes.

He has been out of the hospital for months, but returns often to Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital. He's there, not as a patient, but as an inspiration. Wes's doctor remembers the first time he saw him show up with a guitar.

Dr. Terrence Sheehan told us, "All of the sudden I saw him walking into the dining room where the patients are with his guitar and he said I'm coming up to play for them. It wasn't that he was asked or that it was scheduled or that it was planned. It's what Wesley wanted to do. He knew what they needed."

Wes says these days he doesn't need anything. He says his life will be a full one, nothing missing. Wes plans to return to West Virginia Wesleyan College this fall.

Remember his accident happened just six months ago. It may be a little while, but he is hoping to eventually get back out on the ski slopes.

He was a physics major all along. Now he knows he wants a career in biomedical engineering.

He's determined to build the perfect prosthesis, with no limits on what people can do.

Veteran Helps Other Veterans

Written by Andres Chavez, Sun Staff Reporter
Wednesday, 05 August 2009

Marine Corp veteran, and Arleta resident, Larry Foster, 50, is a man who enjoys competition and winning, but not as much as he enjoys helping other disabled vets see that life is still full of possibilities. He lost his right leg in a daredevil accident in 1981. A true Marine, Foster coped, adopted and over came.

As previously reported in the San Fernando Valley Sun/El Sol, Foster won a Bronze medal in the Slalom event in the 29th National Veterans Wheelchair Games last month. That's the 17th medal Foster has won in the 12 years since he first began competing in the Games.

Foster's life began to change in the winter of 1996 when he was referred to Dr. Suzan Rayner, director of rehabilitation program at the Sepulveda VA in North Hills. For the previous 16 years, his thoughts dwelt on the things he couldn't do because of the amputation.

Dr. Rayner rejected Foster's notion that the amputation put limits on him. Rayner convinced Foster to join 300 other disabled veterans and go skiing at a winter sports clinic in Colorado. Seeing so many active disabled vets inspired Foster and when he returned, he began training for the Wheel Chair Games. He entered the 1997 San Diego Games and won the gold medal in the air rifle competition. He was very happy and as Foster said, "It was a life changing experience."

In 1999, Foster joined the staff of the Sepulveda Veterans Administration facility. Today he is a Volunteer Service Specialist. He works on some of the disabled outreach programs. One of his current projects is to get Vets involved in Ride-On, a horse facility in the Valley that teaches disabled kids all about horsemanship and getting along with animals. "We're trying to get some of our disabled vets enrolled in the program," Foster said, "We have waivers they have to sign." The Vets also need clearances from their doctors.

Whether on the job or off, Foster makes a point of talking to disabled vets, especially those returning from Afghanistan or Iraq, and letting them know there are possibilities open to them.

As he stated in a previous interview, "That's why I think that I'm still here - to help other people who are going through what I went through," Foster said. "I'd hate for anybody (else) to waste 16 years of their prime in a wheelchair not knowing that there are things out there that they can be doing."

Foster said that self confidence is the key element in helping the disabled live happy and productive lives. "Knowing when the chips are down, you've got that fire inside of you that's going to keep you going. Don't let the fire go out. As long as you keep that going in your heart, you'll be all right."

Through hard work and good timing, Foster has had some extraordinary experiences. He's played at Staples Center during the halftime of a Lakers game and played an exhibition game in Times Square. He's been an extra in the movie "Charlie Wilson's War". In this way, he's been an inspiration to others.

Foster grew up in Quincy, Illinois and graduated from the local high school in 1977. He went to work at Quincy Soy Bean. He was living at home, had a new car, a girl friend, and a great job: A teen's dream. But Foster thought, "It seemed like something was missing."

Some of his friends had gone to college but Foster wasn't ready for that. Co-workers, who were former Marines, talked about life in the Corp. "It just seemed really intriguing," Foster said, "So on my way home from work one day I stopped by the recruiter's office and signed up for six years."


Foster, right, with his bronze metal and unidentified friend.
He went through boot camp in San Diego and was stationed at Camp Pendleton before volunteering for duty in Okinawa. He became part of the famed 1st Battalion 9th Marines (the Walking Dead). He joined the elite SATA (Surveillance and Target Acquisition) Team, graduating 3rd in his class from the Marine Sniper School. He traveled to Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Phillippines, Hong Kong, and served on the SS Tripoli. His battalion rotated back to California and he was out in July, 1981.

He went home and that's when tragedy struck. He was in the car with some of his friends waiting for the train to pass. Recalling their youth, they decided to go "train surfing." After the train had passed, the friends returned to the car but Foster did not. He believes that a ladder on the side of the train gave way and he fell underneath the train. It cut off his right leg above the knee. Foster has no memory of who called the ambulance or how he survived that night. The doctors had to restart his heart twice. He would eventually get 50 pints of blood and survive nine operations.

Foster said his Marine Corp training helped him survive, "It was one of the factors that saved my life after the accident. The determination, the willpower to survive something like that you have to have a little help." He spent a year undergoing rehabilitation, being fitted for a prosthesis and more rehabilitation. When that process was completed, he went to college to learn graphic design.

He moved to L. A. in 1985 and worked in a Hollywood Ad agency for four years in graphic design doing typesetting until he was replaced by a Mac. The art director came up to him one day and said "'Sorry man, we got to let you go. This does everything that you did and I can do it myself.'So, I went back to school and learned how to do computers and I've been doing that ever since," Foster said. He "hopped around" from job to job, and started his own business, before joining the VA in 1999.

Another project Foster is also working on is the welcome home celebration scheduled for Sept.12 the returning veterans of America's two ongoing wars, Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom, (OEF/OIF in military abbreviation ).

"It seems like a lot of people have forgotten about the war," Foster said. Foster, and the other VA personnel working on the celebration, want the returning veterans to see that they haven't been forgotten. Local dignitaries and the media will be attending, entertainment and food will be provided, there will be a flyby and most importantly, the vets families will be involved. "Getting the families involved is very important. It's a big part of what we do," he said.

The VA tries to help vets in big ways and small. One program will pick up the tab for the vet and his family to out to a nice dinner and then go to Disneyland, or a movie, or a Laker game or a Clipper game, whatever is going on at the time. It's a gesture that makes vets feel good. "I really feel like we're making a difference in our department," Foster said.