The Limbs of Love’s first recipient David Reid will receive his limb February 27 in Houston Texas. Once an active outdoorsman and workaholic, Reid lost his leg after having multiple surgeries on his right foot, and now years later, he is still living without an artificial limb.

“ I’ve been literally crawling on my hands and knees in a trailer home too small for a wheelchair for two and a half years,” laments Reid. “I can’t work, and I can’t do anything I used to do. Before my amputation, I was so active. I used to love to hunt and fish, and really enjoyed dancing. But since this has happened ….I’m just kind-of here.”

Prior to his amputation, Mr. Reid managed without health care insurance. But after suffering the loss of a limb, he had no financial resources for a limb. After repeated attempts to obtain assistance for an artificial leg, he became discouraged with his catch 22 situation. He couldn’t obtain a loan without a job, but he couldn’t get a job without a limb.

Throughout the years, he visited several doctors and prosthetic companies only to be turned away due to the heavy costs associated with the limb. Medical providers were simply unable to absorb the extra expenses. His dreams of walking again were shattered day-by-day, doctor-by-doctor.

Mr. Reid persevered and decided to, once again, roll the dice and ask for help. He literally hopped into The Amputee and Prosthetic Center in Houston. There he met Ben Falls, CP, LPO who’s not only a prosthetist, but also an amputee himself.

“The Lord blessed me,” Mr. Reid’s voice quivers with emotion as he describes his chance meeting with Ben Falls, CP, LPO. “I told Ben my story; he examined my leg and looked me in the eyes. He said to me,” Son I won’t shoot you down. You’ll be hearing from us in a few days. But I guarantee you this – we’ll get you a limb”. True to his word, Mr. Falls had found the first patient for the Limbs of Love project. When asked how he felt when he heard that after 2 ½ years he would soon be walking again, Mr. Reid beams, “Indescribable! It was such a blessing. Me and my mother just sat there and cried and hugged Ben’s neck for 10 minutes.”