Inspirational Stories

Stacy Paris Forges A New Modeling Career After Losing Her Legs

A woman who had both legs amputated after contracting a flesh-eating bug has overcome her condition to forge a career as a model. Stacy Paris, 30, from Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, is now backing plans to change employment laws to give disabled models more rights. The student, who is studying molecular biology at Glasgow University, is the first Scot to sign up to the Models of Diversity campaign, which wants the government to force agencies to represent one disabled model for every five able-bodied models.

Austin amputee on a path to 2020 Summer Paralympic Games

In the summer of 2015, everything seemed normal for Katie Jackson, she had a thriving dental practice, thinking of starting a family with her husband and in tip-top shape. She ran almost every day. Until, she felt an unusual mass behind her right knee.

Olympic medalist, veteran double amputee swim to fight cancer

Tim Payne, a 2016 Invictus gold medalist and double leg amputee, leads the Brian's Mile of Hope Swim, a 1-mile swimming event benefitting Swim Across America to help fund cancer research

Double amputee Sithole hungry for the French Open

South African world number four wheelchair tennis star Lucas Sithole is hard at work on the practice courts as he prepares for the French Open Super Series in Paris from 20 to 25 June. The series is one of six wheelchair tennis events on the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis tour and has attracted eight of the world’s top 10 quad players in the draw of 24

High school track star with prosthetics topples more records

He was born with a congenital birth defect called fibular hemimelia that caused him to have both legs amputated from below the knee at just 11 months old. He was told that there was a chance he'd never be able to walk.But that hasn't stopped Hunter Woodhall from achieving his goals, in record-breaking fashion.

Worcester students helping kids worldwide by building inexpensive prosthetics

A group of high school students in Worcester are trying to change that by making usable prosthetic hands for a small fraction of the cost and providing them to people who really need them.

Flagler students create prosthetics for two dogs

Elsa, a 3-year-old snow white German shepherd, would often whine when she saw the other dog in her household running and playing. For owners Mark and Kim Parrish, the reason was clear: She wanted to participate. But Elsa didn’t have that option. A birth defect left her with only three complete limbs; her left front leg was pawless. The best she could do was limp.“She doesn’t get enough exercise,” said Mark Parrish. But that may soon change for Elsa and another canine, thanks to students in an integrated anatomy/physiology and drawing II class at i3 New Tech Academy in Palm Coast

Boy receives functioning 3D printed prosthetic hand built at UT Health San Antonio

People born without a limb or who have lost a limb typically know that custom prosthetics are not only expensive, but insurance often does not cover them. However, with the advent of 3D printing, changes are coming to the prosthetics industry. A local boy got the gift of a hand he’s always wanted and needed.

Marine amputee powers to finish of the Boston Marathon

Retired Marine Jose Luis Sanchez has powered to the finish line of the 121st Boston Marathon after losing his leg in Afghanistan.

Waterloo man makes and donates prosthetics

Bruce Newell uses 3D printers to make prosthetic hands and arms. He gives the prosthetics away for free, and to any person in need.

Meet the 24-year-old amputee changing the face of yoga

This March, Kelsey Koch, 24, accomplished a major goal: She opened her own yoga studio in her hometown of Grand Blanc, Michigan. It's an exciting feat for any devoted yogi, but for Koch, it's especially personal: Owning her own studio allows her to host yoga workshops for people with amputations, like herself.

Students 3-D print hand for classmate

When Roy B. Kelley Elementary School teacher Kirsten Provenzano went to a high-tech science fair last year, she hoped to bring back some cool teaching ideas for her own classroom. However, she never imagined she would see something that might change the life of one of her students.  Provenzano met a young girl named Lucy who had a 3-D printed prosthetic arm. She immediately thought of one of her own 4th grade students, Ethan.  He was born without fingers on his right hand.

Yale, Brown students creating a nonprofit to send prosthetics to amputees in Vietnam

Amputees in Vietnam are able to walk again because two Yale University juniors and a friend at Brown University are creating a nonprofit to send prosthetics overseas.

Lauren Scruggs Kennedy starts foundation to help fellow amputees regain confidence

After former model and current fashion blogger Lauren Scruggs Kennedy was sucked into an airplane propeller in 2011, losing her left arm and eye, doctors weren’t sure whether she’d walk or talk again. But over five years later, Kennedy has not only relearned those basic functions and gotten married to E! News host Jason Kennedy — she’s helping others like herself regain their confidence through a new foundation she co-founded.

Double-amputee Marine vet joins New York police department

The wounded warrior is now a cop — and he'll be walking the beat on titanium legs. Matias Ferreira, a former U.S. Marine Corps lance corporal who lost his legs below the knee when he stepped on a hidden explosive in Afghanistan in 2011, is joining a suburban New York police department.

From a low of leg amputation, redemption comes on two wheels

Leo Rodgers didn't let losing his leg in a motorcylce accident limit his options. Read his amazing story here!

Paramedic With Prosthetic Mounts Comeback

A London (Ky) paramedic who spent months recovering from a motorcycle accident has overcome tremendous obstacles to come back to work.

Cooper Bierscheid: Giving amputees a brighter future

If Cooper Bierscheid’s career trajectory continues on its upward path, the world of prosthetic limbs could look very different in the next few years.

Dad creates a prosthetic arm for his toddler using an Xbox scanner

When now two-year-old Sol Ryan was born in March 2015 with an undetected clot in his upper left arm, surgeons advised amputation through the elbow joint. But there was just one problem – surgeons had said that there was nothing they could do for Sol regarding a prosthetic until he was at least a year old. However, that wasn’t good enough for Ben, and so he decided to take it upon himself to create a prosthetic for his son himself.

Amputee William Pike conquers Antarctic mountain

Lying in a hospital bed a decade ago with a freshly amputated leg, William Pike made a decision - to get his life back on track. But climbing an Antarctic mountain certainly wasn't a part of that plan.

UF Students start nonprofit to make prosthetics for kids

Two University of Florida students are planning to make 100 prosthetic arms by August to give to children in less developed countries.

Woman starts prosthetics foundation after tornado crushes her legs

It’s been five years since a deadly tornado outbreak tore through parts of Indiana and Kentucky. Amid the devastation, one survivor's story gained national attention -- a mother of two who lost both of her legs while protecting her kids from their crumbling home. Stephanie Decker talked with WLKY about her progress and how she's working to help others.

A dog lover has prosthetic legs made to match his beloved Dalmatians

Gordon loves walking his two dogs and was determined to stay fit and healthy, so last year he ordered a pair of prosthetics to match their black and white coats.

Veteran Heals Thanks to Amputee Kitten

After Karolyn Smith was wounded in Iraq she suffered from PTSD and social anxiety. She's on the mend now thanks to Sophia, her bionic cat

Amputee Doing Yoga Challeges The Way We Look At Limb Loss

28-year-old Kat Hawkins AKA Amputee Kat is a dancer and volleyball athlete who is more flexible that most of us can ever dream of being.

Double amputee set to take on "toughest race on earth"

A former soldier who lost both his legs in a bomb blast in Afghanistan is preparing to take on the "toughest race on earth" to raise money for fellow injured soldiers and "prove" the challenge can be done.

Cat Gets New Tiny Legs So He Can Walk Again

No one really knows how a stray cat named Pooh injured his back legs, whatever happened Pooh had some serious injures, and he needed help quickly.

Seven-year-old boy plays hockey thanks to device for amputees

Connor was born with symbrachydactyly, a congenital abnormality that can cause short fingers, webbing or missing fingers. Thanks to donations to the War Amps for recreational prosthetics, Connor was fit with a device that protects his hand and allows him to hold a hockey stick.

Kansas amputee gets surprise holiday gift: electronic hands

A southern Kansas woman whose hands and feet had to be amputated after she was shot during a robbery got an early Christmas gift — new electronic hands worth $260,000, courtesy of a businessman and his wife.

Athlete and Amputee Michael Stolzenberg Proves the Power of Determination

The life of an eight-year-old boy usually consists of playing video games, enjoying sports, and spending time with friends. When Michael Stolzenberg was eight, he was fighting for his life.

Double amputee finds kindred spirit in rescue dog

Gill Dalley lost both her legs to a serious infection but when she met Cola, whose legs had been cruelly hacked off, she knew she'd met her 'kindred spirit'

Double Amputee Mike Rolls plays Pro-Am Round with Rickie Fowler

Mike Rolls contracted meningococcal septicaemia while on a football trip aged 18, suffering amputations and severe injuries... but he survived to become inspirational golfer

Amputee college football player inspires with story of perseverance

Georgetown junior Kody Kasey was an All-Conference cornerback for the Tigers as a freshmen. A horrific leg injury during his sophomore year sent him down a two-year path that has led to double digit surgeries and, eventually, back to the gridiron

This Amputee Tattoo Artist Turned His Arm into a Prosthetic Rig

With the advancement of prosthetic technology, amputees are finding more and more ways to overcome the limitations of their disabilities. JC Sheitan Tenet lost his right arm 22 years ago, but has been working as a tattoo artist for the last eight, thanks to a prosthetic shell with a tattoo machine mounted on it.

Upper-limb amputee at Johns Hopkins builds computer controller device for feet

Manipulating a mouse or a controller without hands or fingers was frustratingly impossible, but the struggles Gyorgy Levay faced sparked an interest in building devices to make life easier for him and other upper-limb amputees.

The Incredible Ezra French!

Ezra French, 9, from Los Angeles, was born missing four fingers on his left hand and without a fully formed left leg, according to Sports Illustrated.  At age 3 he had to have his leg amputated, but the athletic kid has never been held back by his disability.

Ezra Frech is not your average 11-year-old. This multisport star holds 14 national records in his age classification in a plethora of track and field events.

Lucca: The First American Working Dog Awarded Highest British Military Honor

A retired U.S. Marine dog was honored today with the PDSA Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, which is the highest British military decoration awarded for valor. Lucca, a German shepherd, received the award after completing 400 missions in six years of active service with allied troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and losing a leg on the battlefield.

Warrior Camp: Outdoor Therapy for Veterans

One by one, the veterans made their inaugural trip up the steep mountainside armed with harnesses and ropes.  For most of them, rock climbing was a brand new experience, yet they were scrambling up and repelling down the cliff face at Hartman Rocks in Gunnison, Colorado, with barely a semblance of a beginner’s nerves. Amid shouts of encouragement and good-humored banter, the Airmen were bonding. While they’d been strangers just the day before, they’d already become a team

Child with prosthetic leg works out with wounded veteran

Diego Mercado,10, has always wanted to be a soldier, like his father, but his dad wasn't always sure his son would be able to follow in his footsteps.

Abel's new leg allows him to play like a puppy again!

Thanks to that new mechanical leg, the squirrels in Abel’s back yard once again live in terror.

Paralympic Sprinter Regas Woods Going for Gold

Regas Woods is competing in the 200m in Rio 

In the wake of tragedy, an author finds purpose

When Eddie Suggs came to in a hospital room almost five years ago, he told his wife he wanted to write something that would “rock the world.”

TEDx-- The Cloy Concept

Forged through personal hardship and crafted to help people of all backgrounds, Daniel Cloy created "The Cloy Concept" to guide people through their challenges and give them the tools to take control of their life.  

http://www.thecloyconcept.com

Taylor and Danielle Morris, The Hero and His Angel

A man and his wife show us the meaning of true dedication

This Girl Designed Her Own Superhero Prosthetic Arm, And It Shoots Sparkles

In January, Jordan Reeves received an invitation to become a superhero. More specifically, the 10-year-old from Columbia, Missouri was asked to participate in the Superhero Cyborgs program in San Francisco, a workshop hosted by nonprofit KIDmob and 3-D software firm Autodesk. 

Dancer who lost leg in Boston Marathon bombings runs again for charity

Adrianne Haslet-Davis, a professional ballroom dancer, who lost a leg in the Boston Marathon bombings says she's training to run this year's race: all 26.2 miles of it for charity.

A kitten and a little girl share a special bond

When Scarlette lost her arm to cancer, her parents found a companion to show in spite of her circumstances, she persevered, and that she's not alone. That's where Doc comes in.

Boston bombing survivor's charity gives 1st artificial limb

Ever before she lost a leg in the Boston Marathon bombing, Heather Abbott has devoted herself to giving others a leg up.

Bilateral Amputee Jami Marseilles Completes the Chicago Marathon

Jami Marseilles, 46, who lost her legs to frostbite, covered the course in 6:27:01

Double Amputee Get Ironman Redemption

Double Amputee Jason Gunter collapsed while attempting to complete the running section of the 2009 Ironman Triathelon in Hawaii. This year he got his redemption.

Toddler amputee zooms by parents in new prosthetic

Two days after his birth, his parents, Michael and Sally Lynick discovered their son had tibial hemimelia, a rare condition undetected in an ultrasound. Doctors told them if their son would ever walk, they would face a difficult decision to amputate their son's leg.

Amputee inspires others by running

A Lake County girl is inspiring both kids and adults. She's an amputee, but has been taking part in a running program for three years now.

Robert Downey Jr. Delivers a Real Bionic Arm

Robert Downey Jr. and Albert Manero, a #CollectiveProject student who founded Limbitless, surprised a very special child with a new bionic 3D printed arm at no cost to the family.

Quadruple amputee dog learns to get around in prosthetics

It’s still a dog’s life for a quadruple amputee out of Loveland. Brutus the Rottweiler is only the second dog ever known to have four prosthetic limbs.

Inspirational story of Royal Marine amputee Andy Grant

Royal Marine wounded in Afghanistan by IED. Here is his story of how he refused to give up. 

Undefeated

The Daniel Cloy story.  Truley an inspiration.