From Tragedy to Triumph: The Life-Changing Work of the Limbs for Life Foundation

From Tragedy to Triumph: The Life-Changing Work of the Limbs for Life Foundation

Imagine the unthinkable tragedy of being hit by a distracted driver while standing on the side of the road. Now, try and imagine being hit by that distracted driver and watching your father die before your eyes while you sustain a life-changing injury of an above-the-knee amputation. It is almost more than one can comprehend.

That is what happened to Richie Horvat on October 5, 2023, while driving to work. Richie ran out of gas and called his father to come help him when a distracted driver ran off the road on I-35 outside of Fort Worth, hitting them and changing Richie’s world. With no insurance and no resources, Richie’s wife, then fiancée, Maryann Davis, was directed to the Limbs for Life Foundation (LFL) in Oklahoma City.

Randy Titony, Executive Director of the Foundation, recalled the Facebook message he received. Titony stated, “Maryann reached out in shock with no idea what she needed, nor where to get help. I responded immediately and told her they had come to the right place. Richie’s situation is why we exist.”

Through the kindness of strangers, Richie was able to receive the much-needed help from LFL and obtain his prosthesis. He stated, “Amazing people to work with, making everything easier since my amputation. Randy answers all my questions. They have given my wife and me hope; so much so, that someday, I hope to help people like me.”

Since its inception in 1995, the Limbs for Life Foundation has been dedicated to the mission of assisting individuals who lack access to prosthetic care due to financial constraints. Titony stated, “Our mission is simple yet profound: to provide fully functional lower limb prosthetics for those who would otherwise be unable to afford them. In doing so, we enable individuals to regain their mobility, independence, and the confidence to embrace life’s opportunities. Our impact is immediate and life-changing. We enable people who have no other possibilities for funding to receive a prosthesis and literally get back on their feet.”

A prosthesis can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000, and through partnerships with hundreds of prosthetic facilities across the U.S., LFL can fund a patient locally in their community.

So, how can you help build a LEGacy through the Limbs for Life Foundation? There are numerous ways to make a meaningful impact. Financial contributions through grants, cash donations, stocks, bequests, or sponsoring a fundraising event can help provide the necessary resources to purchase prosthetic devices for those in need.

Every donation, regardless of size, plays a vital role in transforming lives and enabling individuals to overcome the obstacles of limb loss. LFL pays prosthetic facilities a discounted rate for each client’s limb, allowing them to go wherever they choose to obtain their prosthetic care. When you donate to Limbs for Life, 100 percent of your donation goes directly to funding a prosthetic leg.

Gifts to Limbs for Life immediately change someone’s life and restore the everyday functions that most of us take for granted, such as walking, working, and simply being out with family and friends. For $2500, a person can receive a prosthesis and be given the gift of freedom and mobility. Author John Bunyan once said, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” Richie’s story is a true testament to that fact.

For more information about the incredible work of LFL, visit them at limbsforlife.org and help them build a LEGacy.