Your Stories

Before I was born, my parents knew something was wrong. The doctor thought I would have club foot. Not long after my birth we had moved from Arkansas to Colorado ... Read More

I got into a motorcycle wreck three days after turning 18 on August 14, 2013. My injuries included compound fractures in my left arm and right ankle, a fractured skull, and losing my left leg above the knee ... Read More

Hi, my name is Jeremy and I’m a bilateral below-knee amputee. I lost my left leg 8 years ago and my right leg in May 2017. I'm an active amputee – I'm currently in a men's bowling league after relearning how to bowl ... Read More

As a normally moderately active, very positive, below the knee amputee living alone, I recently ran into a unique situation where I felt that an essential rehab visit was in order, but was simply not covered by Medicare nor my supplemental insurance plans. Let ... Read More

My name is Wendy Wallace. I am a wife, a mother and a quadruple amputee. In 2011, I developed necrotizing fasciitis ... Read More

My name is Sonia, and I am a double below knee amputee who lives in the UK and didn't cycle at all when I was younger ... Read More

This is my story. It begins with a simple act of kindness. On April 19, 2017, a single moment changed everything. I got out of my car to help someone push their car off the road because I was worried about their safety ... Read More

In 2011, at the age of 61, I developed Charcots disease. This is a disease where the bones in the foot crumble. Between 2011 and 2014, I underwent four foot surgeries ... Read More

All my life I have been teaching. As an assistant day camp counselor, a summer camp counselor, and from running a swim school to teaching math. That is one of the many reasons I became a “Certified Peer Visitor”. To help others in this ... Read More

I am original come from Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 1993 I lost both of my arms from actions by the Croat (Catholic) people ... Read More

My name is Cydni and I’m a 21 year old above-elbow upper limb amputee. This January I lost my dominant arm due to a Rottweiler attack at home ... Read More

I became a quadruple amputee in 2014, at the age of 42, from bacterial meningitis. Over 80% of my skin blistered from sepsis and I had four amputations ... Read More

I won the Paralympic silver medal just 6 years after having my left leg amputated. A world class athlete who qualified for two Olympic Trials, and a prospect for Army Officer School, I was on the success career path ... Read More

Born missing my right hand, I was blessed to have amazing parents who always supported my ambitions to adapt to any activity I wanted to participate in ... Read More

My name is Mike Pumphrey. I had a below-knee amputation in December 2017, due to a bad infection in my left foot resulting from diabetes ... Read More

I am a 25 year old, below-knee amputee. I lost most of my right leg in a motorcycle accident two years ago ... Read More

My name is Robert Madsen. I was T-boned by a 19-year-old female on my motorcycle on September 5, 2017 ... Read More

My name is Joel Ellen, and I am an above-knee amputee. In 2010, upon graduating college, I began experiencing chronic pain in my hip ... Read More

There was that day in my life; That day when I woke to find all I had went to sleep with was now gone ... Read More

On April 29, 2012, I was riding my Harley. A kid on a cell phone ran a stop sign ... Read More

Born with a rare form of congenital bone fusion, Todd Logan was faced with a life-altering reality in late 2014 ... Read More

I was born in 1993 in the small town of Chardon, Ohio. I was as healthy as could be, weighing in at 6.5 oz. However, I was born without a right forearm directly below the elbow ... Read More

I lost my left leg above the knee in 2014 due to influenza-related bacterial pneumonia and septic shock ... Read More

My name is Julia and on August 7, 2017 at 10:32 a.m. my life totally changed ... Read More

Born with a rare form of congenital bone fusion, Todd Logan was faced with a life-altering reality in late 2014 ... Read More

Having a below-knee amputation was a choice; really, it was the only choice I had. Born with one leg three inches shorter than the other, and with a smaller foot, I went through many surgeries with no success and osteomyelitis for 30 years ... Read More

I am a 37yr old, very active, BKA (below knee amputee). I am MORE than thankful that I have switched to a clinician that looks out for the patient, and not the bottom line of the company ... Read More

In 1991 I was in a ski accident and suffered a commuted fracture of my tibia and fibula. They said I would never ski again. The next 21 years I spent the majority of my free time hiking, Telemark skiing kayaking and rock/ice climbing ... Read More

I lost my right leg below the knee two years ago and became an amputee. My left ankle was also frozen. Before that, I snowboarded for 20 years ... Read More

“Next year’s the year I’m going to be out there running.” I had told myself this annually while watching the New York City Marathon since moving to the city five years ago ... Read More

When former policeman Melvin T. Blakely Jr. lost one leg, one foot, some finger tips, and a hand to a bad blood infection, the prospect of ever enjoying a happy family life seemed remote ... Read More

I never would have thought that Fred Rogers in his blue sweater behind the screen would be the one, the only one, who taught me that being different is good, and that if you are different or have a disability, be proud of it ... Read More

I want to share a bit of an ongoing success story with you. I would like to start out by saying I have been sober six years now. Approximately four years ago I had what I thought was minor bunion surgery on my left ... Read More

My story begins while being self-employed. I was a computer technician for small offices and home offices. I repaired, maintained and installed new computers and networks for my clients when I was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 ... Read More

Hi, My name is Alex Otte. My story of amputation is a story of many other things, too, but it is what brought me to the Amputee Coalition ... Read More

I am an adaptive athlete from Basingstoke, Hampshire, England and I am currently working toward the Paralympics for discus, javelin and shot put ... Read More

Childhood setbacks didn’t slow down career aspirations for public service as deputy sheriff, EMT, Texas Guard, church leader ... Read More

I have been an AK (above-knee) amputee for over sixty years - that's far too long to capture "my story" in a few pages. There's an entire book on that (published.) ... Read More

7200 volts, eight surgeries and nine months left Gerry without his arms. Read his story of “never giving up” ... Read More

Six months after amputation this police officer was able to return to active duty ... Read More

A young Russian girl is adopted in the U.S. ultimately founds Live Without Limbs and becomes a biomedical engineer ... Read More

Wheelchairs are like prosthesis: they provide independence. Make sure you ask for yours to travel with you if you are transported in an ambulance! ... Read More

How I recovered from a life-threatening brain injury. My name is Adrienne Walker-Pittman, and I currently work for MTA Mobility. I have a very inspiring story that I would like to share ... Read More

Jackie’s story talks about amputation as a choice and a surprise, and the strength of community ... Read More

This is an article Driscoll Children's Hospital wrote about our amazing warrior son named Julian. Julian was 10 years old when he became ill in January 2017 with Necrotizing Fasciitis a flesh/tissue eating bacteria ... Read More

My journey started when I was 18 months old. My dad was in the Navy, fighting the Vietnam War. Mom was home caring for 8 kids, me being the baby at that time ... Read More

Hello! My name is Emily. In March 2016, I was in an almost fatal wreck. Fortunately, all I lost was my leg (above the knee) ... Read More

A bit of my story, to hopfully lift your spirits. Four years! Wow! four years since that night I laid at the side of the road, bleeding, broken bones, and dying ... Read More

I’ve never met the individual, “Author Unknown”, but there are certainly a lot of profound statements from this person ... Read More

My story of living with limb loss wasn't a choice – it was mandatory in order to live. I've lost over half of my body, bit by bit. Yes, it's been hard but overall I've adjusted to this situation ... Read More

Hello, my name is Donivan Leslie. I lost both of my legs on August 5, 2016 in a motorcycle accident ... Read More

My honest opinion is, within almost two years of being an amputee, I've learned that people who are amputees aren't respected ... Read More

My name is Frances. I am a below-knee amputee, a U.S. Army veteran, and a kiteboarder ... Read More

In April 2015, I went walking a couple of miles with a friend and experienced some discomfort in one of my legs. By October, I had had one of my legs amputated from the knee down ... Read More

Amputees need a higher level of coverage in obtaining their prosthetic needs because the cost of prosthetic devices has inflated so much that without more coverage, amputees are not able to purchase a new device ... Read More

My name is Amy, I am 28 years old, and I am a left leg below-knee amputee. On March 2, 2012, I was in a very tragic tornado accident. I was in a friend’s mobile home and a tornado came through and completely demolished ... Read More

I am writing to tell the story of my wife, Alice. Alice and I will be married 59 years this June. Alice had to have both legs amputated below the knee eight years ago, one week apart ... Read More

Hi! My name is Ceres Torres, I am a cancer survivor (1996) and right below-knee amputee. After years and years of working in advertising, I felt my life was incomplete and felt very sad and unmotivated ... Read More

On May 18, 2013, I was riding the subway home from working selling lemonade at a concert in Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Witnesses said I got up, and foggily (traumatic brain injury or TBI) walked out the door leading from one subway car to ... Read More

Where to begin! My story is just that, my story. I lost my leg from complications with attempting a total ankle replacement. The Doctor ordered the "smallest" ankle prosthetic that they made ... Read More

Hello to my fellow amputees and the people who support them. I lost my right arm above the elbow 25 years ago this July in a boating accident. Prior to the accident I was a machinist, an avid martial artist, weight lifter and a ... Read More

My story of living with limb loss wasn't a choice – it was mandatory in order to live. I've lost over half of my body, bit by bit. Yes, it's been hard but overall I've adjusted to this situation ... Read More

I've put to bed more motorcycles than most people get cars. I should have learned when one damaged me the first time ... Read More

On November 20, 2008, at the age of 53, I was on my bicycle enjoying a crisp day. An uninsured driver of an SUV hit me, resulting in a broken neck (C2) and a leg injury. I was rushed to the ER where the ... Read More

Synovial Sarcoma took my leg, above my knee, at age 44. A young man's cancer, hmmmm. Anyway, I got through the chemo and I think I am most the way through the detox. I am starting to think more clearly and my hair is ... Read More

After months of chemotherapy I went to a new doctor in NYC . The first thing she asked was whether I accept that I needed to lose my right foot as the cancerous tumor was in my ankle . I said no. Then she ... Read More

I became an amputee due to vascular disease in 2010 and stayed in the hospital for about three months. I had great staff that was dedicated and took the time to assist, help, encourage and support me. Also, I had calls from Certified Peer ... Read More

Two years ago, my leg was hurting so I went to the doctor and was diagnosed at age 44 with PAD (Peripheral Artery Disease. I had no clue I was severely anemic and had an AAA (Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm) as well as a blood ... Read More

Mack was 5 when he was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma. He had 14 rounds of chemo, a blood clot in his arm from the first picc line, a condition called DRESS syndrome (can't have many antibiotics) many blood transfusions, many hospital stays,16 long months ... Read More

In 2016, I was awarded a grant from the Ontario Arts Council's 'Deaf and Disability Arts Projects' Program here in Canada. I am an integrated dancer and received training through AXIS Dance in California several years ago ... Read More

My name is Amy Dolphin. I am a below knee amputee. I have three children, and two of my children are also amputees. We have what is classified as "congenital absence of the tibia”. My grandfather suffered from this genetic defect. My mother was ... Read More

I was riding my Harley just loving life and was hit by a pickup truck. My left leg took the brunt of the incident. I had a traumatic amputation below the knee. I work for fire rescue so it was my brothers that responded ... Read More

My name is Vicki. I am 56, and have always had a job and been very active with family. I am a mom and a grandmother, and I have always been one to take care of everyone. My life changed very dramatically a year ... Read More

Friday evening, December 2, 2016, I fell asleep on the sofa, something that I have done numerous times before. I was expecting family for the weekend so when they arrived late, they rang the doorbell and called my cell phone simultaneously ... Read More

I am Jacky and I had my left leg amputated due to cancer (sarcoma) in 2001. I was living in The Netherlands at the time and had a fantastic career and had my whole life ahead of me. I discovered a lump in my ... Read More

On August 12, 2015 my life changed. Before that day I was an avid hiker, swimmer, motorcyclist, ran in the yard with my children, and more. I was super adventurous, but on that day my true journey began ... Read More

In honor of #LLAM here is my journey! October 15, 2012 I was involved in an accident that resulted in the amputation of my left leg below the knee. I was riding my bicycle to work when I was hit head-on by a truck ... Read More

I was born with a deformed right foot and spent my first 16 years under the watchful care of Shriner's Hospitals both in Montreal and Springfield, Mass. I had many surgeries and was given the name "Thumper" due to my clomping around in a ... Read More

I have been an amputee since September, 2015, when I was hit by a truck driven by a man who was texting and driving. He had no insurance and was driving his girlfriend’s truck with liability only. This insurance only covered $25,000 on my ... Read More

I am 45 years of age my story starts 20 years ago as of June. I was in a vehicle accident and crushed my right foot in a million pieces as the Doctor put it, so as we discussed the next move I went ... Read More

My name is Sean Donnelly. I was born without my right leg, above the knee, due to amniotic bands. The following is my story, which I hope will provide hope, strength, and courage to others out there who live with physical disabilities ... Read More

The first couple of years of my life were not the best. I was born with an extreme case of two club feet. My parents did the best with what they had at the time but the diagnosis never clearly identified what was going ... Read More