The 10th Annual Raymond James 5k Fun Run/2k Walk, sponsored by John Hancock, Putnam Investments, Principal Funds, Columbia, Delaware Investments, and Janus, has once again selected Amputee Blade Runners as the featured charity for the RJFS ELEVATE Conference. The Fun Run has continued to grow and ABR's participation throughout the conference is now a staple at this event.
Amputee Blade Runners has greatly impacted the lives of hundreds of amputees and their communities. Daryl Farler, a bilateral below the knee amputee, would be living a completely different life without Amputee Blade Runners. Because of the free running prosthetics Amputee Blade Runners provided, Daryl has completed several triathlons, a Half IronMan, several half marathons, and multiple Boston Marathons. A single piece of equipment can drastically change someone’s life.
EVERY dollar you donate goes directly to providing a running prosthetic, which can vary in price from $10,000-$15,000 for a below the knee, like Daryl, $20,000+ for an above the knee amputee. Amputee Blade Runners is able to provide a running prosthetic to each team member at NO cost, while keeping our cost to $3,500.
At the last ELEVATE conference we raised $119,000, thanks in huge part to Raymond James' (WHAT) $25,000. This year, the goal for the week is to raise at least $150,000, which would transform the lives of 50 amputees and their families.
ABR will be onsite for the entire conference. If you see any of our Blade Runners walking around, please feel free to talk to them about their legs and how running has changed their life.
Amputees Helped Because of Raymond James
Kirsten
When Kirsten's mother was 21 weeks pregnant with Kirsten, living on a US military base in Europe, her water broke. They needed the pregnancy to last as long as possible and were able to hold off the labor and delivery for a few more weeks. She was born with numerous limb differences, including the absence of one foot, and given a 10% chance of survival. This determined little miracle child found her groove with track while deep in the heart of Texas. While competing on the adaptive sports circuit, Kirsten and her family learned about ABR. Last summer she received both a running and sports leg from ABR and is excited to put her new leg to the test.
Daniel
Daniel was a happy, energetic boy whose life changed in an instant. When he was a young child, he was involved in a lawnmower accident, and lost his leg below the knee. Daniel loves playing any and every sport he can, including basketball, football, and track. Daniel and his high school team happened to compete against the cousins of a younger ABR athlete one Alabama afternoon. A short time later Daniel received his first running leg, and is regularly standing on the podium for his HS track team.
Irina
Irina, like so many ABR athletes, learned about the organization through a trusted mentor and fellow amputee. Irina was born in Russia with congenital limb differences and grew up in Central Illinois. With her ABR leg, she played point guard on her HS basketball team. She is now in college in Nashville and works for ABR in a part time capacity, using her personal experience with the organization to facilitate help for incoming athletes.
Ryan
Ryan is the co-founder of ABR, a certifed prosthetist (CP) and has a bachelors in Business Administration. Ryan’s journey into prosthetics started when he was 3 years old. Ryan was ran over while on his big wheel riding in his neighborhood resulting in losing his left leg below the knee. Ryan went on to play sports throughout middle school and high school. Ryan was a starting linebacker for his high school when playing in a TN all star game a prosthetic company offered to make him a running leg and Ryan then went on to run track at Tennessee State University (TSU) with the able bodied athletes the first to do so in TN. Ryan then ran with the US Paralympic track program earning multiple Gold and Bronze medals in the Paralympics.
Daryl Farler
Daryl joined the ABR team in January of 2011. In 2006 he was scratched by his girlfriend's dog in the corner of his left eye and contracted a virus that caused septic shock. This resulted in Daryl losing both legs below the knee, multiple fingers, and sight in one eye. Daryl began running to improve his health but soon got his competitive spirit back in gear. Daryl has completed numerous half marathons, a half Ironman, and is a repeat Endeavor Games Sprint Triathlon Champion for his classification. Daryl was also chosen by John Hancock to compete in the 120th and 121st Boston Marathon. Daryl is proof that a single gift can change a person.
About Amputee Blade Runners:
Amputee Blade Runners is a 501(c)3 organization, based in Nashville, TN, that helps lower limb different athletes of all ages reimagine what is possible in sports and in life. To do this ABR provides FREE running & sports prosthetic to amputees. Running prosthetics are considered "not medically necessary" and are NOT covered by insurance. Amputee Blade Runners helps amputees across the country keep an active lifestyle by providing equipment, education and empowerment.
'We believe that giving someone one piece of equipment can have the power to change their life moving forward, just like it did for me!' -Ryan Fann
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