Cody MakKaslend - Little Hero [13 Pics]
When the family tehastsev Mike and Tina Makkaslendov son Cody was born, doctors dumbfound parents terrible verdict: the child will most likely not survive.
Because of the malposition of the womb, leading to deformation of the vertebral column, baby struck by rare illness - sacral ageneziya. He was born without a tibia and knee joints. Pipsqueak also called for urgent operation on the stomach, gall bladder, as well as intensive treatment with respiratory problems.
The first surgery he had already held on the third day after birth. And then there was fourteen. And the most terrible of them was the amputation of both legs polutoragodovalom aged Cody - almost to the knees.
It was then parnishechke issued his first children's limbs. And Cody managed to learn from them so deftly that soon became a run faster than their healthy peers well and even ride on one artificial leg. And now, in its seven years, and does he still swims, plays soccer, hockey, golf. And not only that - is Karate
"One problem: the son is growing so fast that have to match the new, larger limbs," - Mother complains Cody. In addition, prostheses need different - for walking, to jogging, for climbing on the stairs at the playgrounds. "This is crazy money, and themselves, we would, of course, such costs are not pulled - said Mrs Makkaslend. - But we have helped professionals from local children's hospital. They provide us with prostheses free of charge." Instead, friends and acquaintances Makkaslendov organized a campaign to collect donations to fund the hospital - nasobirali almost one hundred thousand dollars.
Already two years in a row, parents vozyat Cody at international sports competitions for disabled children. And boy there is not a spectator, and the activities of the participants. This year, Cody has already won gold medals in distance running at 60 and 100 meters. But his main passion now - swimming. For basin prostheses are not needed, and it has mostly to work with your hands and feet cults. Fifty meters rabbits Cody swim for thirty seconds, a year ago when he first came to the pool, it takes almost a minute.
It's amazing, but a boy of seven, still do not realize, perhaps, that every day makes a small feat, has become a symbol of inflexibility and the will to life for older people. "We receive many requests from people with disabilities to meet with our son," - says Tina Makkaslend. - There are even a few former soldiers who lost legs in Afghanistan and Iraq. Soldiers write that they are inspired by the example of our Cody. "
