Help Amputee Blade Runners raise enough money to enable two individuals to realize their dreams of running free. Our goal is to raise $7,000, which would be enough funding to give the joy of running to 2 new applicants. Insurance will not cover the cost of a running leg, and the cost can range anywhere from $8,000 to $20,000 per leg! Our mission is to help lower limb different individuals of all ages reimagine what is possible in sports and in life.
We are new to the Bourbon Chase but have been fielding Ragnar teams for years. Between our 12 runners we have 12 prosthetic blades and 3 prosthetic knees. Over the past dozen years, ABR has provided FREE running and sports legs to hundreds of amputees is dozens of states.
Years As Amputee: 33 years (my whole life).
Reason for Amputation: Congenital (from Chernobyl Accident)
Years as part of ABR family: 3 years now
Number of Ragnar Relays: It's going to be my first one!
Favorite race/reason to run: I run because I can and my favorite distance is half marathon!
Jeff Davis
Years As Amputee: 2
Reason for Amputation: Osteomyelitis from multiple surgeries
Years as part of ABR family: 2 years
Number of Ragnars: First timer
Why you like to run and/or your favorite race/distance: I actually prefer Sprint Triathlon, so I guess my favorite distance is 5k. The reason I started competing in Triathlon and running in general was a doctor told me “you can’t do that”. I wanted to prove him wrong
Chris Mitchell
Years As Amputee: 20 years
Reason for Amputation: Infection due to diabetes complications.
Years as part of ABR family: 8 years
Number of Ragnars Relays: 5
Why you like to run and/or your favorite race/distance - I like to run to finish, the feeling of accomplishment.
Sam Keomanivane
Years as an Amputee: 6
Reason for Amputation: Motorcycle Accident (Knee disarticulation)
Years as Part of ABR: 6 years
Number of Ragnar Relays: 2
Favorite Race/Reason to Run: Like to run to stay fit & active. Obstacle courses are my favorite.
Amelia Vandergrift
Ricky Vandegrift
Years as an amputee: 26
Reason for Amputation: Congenital (was missing my fibula)
Years As Part of ABR Family: 3
Favorite Race/Reason to Run: I love running because it can take me on adventures and the faster/farther I can run the more I can see. Also to find/push where my limits are. My favorite distance is anything over 50k!
John Van Haren
Logan Hartline - ABR Board Member
Years as part of ABR family: 2 years
Number Ragnars Run: First timer
Why you like to run and/or your favorite race/distance: I running for the community it fosters among people. The marathon is my favorite distance!
Brent Lambert
Years as amputee: 14 years ago due to a chronic bone infection that resulted in 20+ surgeries over 40 years and precancerous cells as well as becoming septic in my previous surgery.
Years as part of ABR: 12 years
Number of Ragnar Relays: 4
Favorite race/reason to run: I like to run for the freedom I feel on predawn runs as well as the friendships I've made/ make with other runners. My favorite distance to run is 4-8 miles as this reduces the number of times I have to stop and pour sweat out of my liner and dry off my leg for a better fit.
Tim Cheatham
Years as an Amputee: 34 years
Reason for amputation: Trauma (gunshot accident)
Years with ABR: 7
Number of Ragnar Relays: 5
Favorite race/reason to run: I enjoy running for the challenge of constantly trying to improve my times (but they don’t improve much). I prefer 3-5 mile runs but usually stay closer to running 5k per training session.
Andrew Kerr - ABR Board Member (Non-Amputee)
Years as part of ABR family: 12 years (since the beginning)
Number of Ragnars Relays: 5 (3rd with ABR)
Why you like to run and/or your favorite race/distance: My favorite annual race is the Peachtree Road Race in ATL. It is the world's largest 10K with 60K people running annually and I have run 37 consecutive races (since I was 7-years old).
Samantha Gower
Years as an Amputee: 3
Reason for amputations: Complications of septic shock
Years as part of ABR family: 2
Why I like to run: It's a fun way to stay in shape so that I'm strong enough to do other things I love, like chase my kids around and dance (in my ABR dance feet, of course!)
Number of Ragnars run: First timer
Favorite race distance: half marathon - long enough that I feel accomplished, short enough that I'm not overwhelmed by training
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*All fund raised rasied through this campaign will go directly to helping amputees realize their dreams of Running FREE.
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