SAN ANTONIO – On Saturday, around 30 athletes spent their morning in the Nelson W. Wolff Stadium with trainers who helped them master running and mobility drills.
This group of people who have had amputations had the chance to work on meeting their full athletic potential and get real tips on living with a prosthesis.
“We’ve got Paralympian coaches. We’ve (got) some of the best physical therapy coaches in the world, in the nation, coming out and taking our local amputee. And showing them that there can be more to what their physical activity level is,” said CAF and Össur ambassador Travis Ricks.
Össur, according to its website, is the second-largest company operating in the prosthetics market.
Ricks, who lost his leg after a battle with cancer as a teenager, found his love of sports again after working with the Challenged Athletes Foundation and Össur, a company operating in the prosthetics market.
Now, he serves as an ambassador for the two organizations, helping others with amputations rediscover their love of athletics after losing a limb.
“In normal life, you’re used to working and walking alongside people that have two normal legs, right, but today you’re around people that can relate to you, you know, and get where you’re coming from, so that makes it pretty special,” said Jacobe Heard.
Heard lost his leg after surviving a deadly accident and came to San Antonio for some extra training. However, once he got to the stadium, Heard was surprised by a brand-new athletic prosthesis.
“It’s a blessing,” he said.
Rick says that many insurance companies do not cover running prostheses for people with amputations, and the cost of paying for them can range from $15,000 to $30,000. However, CAF is looking to help more athletes find a way to get a new leg for mobility and sports.