February 29, 2012 - Casey Owens lost both his legs in 2004 when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb in western Iraq. That was the beginning of his ordeal. In the eight years since then, Owens has endured multiple amputations -- surgeons having to cut off more of the remaining leg bone due to complications.
Four years ago, Owens told us, he spent six months in excruciating pain while officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs reviewed and finally approved a surgery which took his right femur down to 10 centimeters. Having such a short stump makes wearing a prosthetic more difficult -- while Owens does still walk on prosthetic legs, a wheelchair is a good way for him to get around.
A group of friends took up a collection to get Owens a new high-tech wheelchair and they chose one from ICON Wheelchairs; Jeff Adams, one of the founders of the company flew to Denver to put it together and fit it to Owens body. It turns out the fit of a chair is extremely important to the person riding in it.
"Wheelchairs have come a long way," said Jeff Adams, one of the founders of ICON Wheelchairs.
For those who need wheelchairs, having one that fits is paramount, Adams noted."It's a piece of equipment that we rely on for everything that we do in our lives -- and it has to perform," he said. read more>>>
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