DENVER (CBS4) – Clayton Simon is a 6-year-old boy who likes to play baseball, sled hockey, soccer and racing together with his sister. He does all this regardless of being born with a congenital situation that led to the lack of his leg above his proper knee at beginning.
All that modified on Saturday afternoon as Clayton was given a particular working prosthetic leg by a grant from the Challenged Athletes Basis.
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“We’re so excited for Clay,” mentioned his father, Steve Simon. “I may need gotten a bit of emotional seeing it and simply tremendous excited simply realizing what was forward on him now.”
Clayton’s mother and father have been excited to see their son in a working leg for an additional purpose, because the prosthetic is dear.
“A standard strolling prosthetic is roofed by insurance coverage, however a working prosthetic is taken into account a luxurious merchandise. So, these issues are lined by insurance coverage and may price as much as $15,000 or $20,000 per foot,” mentioned Lauren Ram, Packages Coordinator on the Challenged Athletes basis.
Clayton was given the working leg on the Ossur and Challenged Athletes Basis working and mobility clinic on the College of Denver. Greater than 40 amputees participated within the occasion, together with Workforce USA’s para-triathletes Jamie Brown and Eric McElvenny. Brown gave Clayton a number of tips about use the brand new working leg.
“I informed him to make use of his leg. Like, he needed to activate that prosthetic,” Brown mentioned. “It’s simply the way in which that he has to stroll together with his strolling leg. So, the second he has this spring on, the spring is now going to propel him ahead, so he has to verify he will get that spring up entrance.”
Brown and McElvenny will signify america on the Paralympic Video games being held Aug. 24 by Sept. 5 in Tokyo, Japan. They hope to see Clayton strolling of their footsteps.
“I hope Clayton stays lively, wholesome, in no matter actions he finally ends up pursuing and if that’s the Olympics, that’s the cherry on prime,” Brown mentioned.
Earlier than Clayton can obtain his Olympic desires, he first needed to get previous his huge sister.
“We received yard soccer, and he’s going to have the ability to sustain together with his little sister now,” Simon mentioned.
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The Challenged Athletes Foundation Grant is open for brand new purposes on Sept. 1.
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