Hello. My name is Bradley. When I was born, I didn’t have an ankle joint and my right foot was turned in the wrong position. Doctors told my mom that I would never walk normally, play sports, or even ride a bike. So, when I was about 11 months old, my mom and the doctors decided to amputate my right foot. After this operation, I was fitted with a prosthetic leg. Growing up with a prosthetic leg wasn’t easy, but I’ve overcome many obstacles in my life. When people meet me and I tell them I have a prosthetic leg, they are so amazed because they can’t even tell I have one! But, it was still difficult to try and fit in with everyone as I was growing up. I would often wonder why I was created differently, asking myself, “Why would God make me go through this?” Well, after I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I became more willing to open up about my prosthetic leg and allow God to use my story for His glory.
About a year and a half ago I took a trip to Haiti. The night before we were going to get on the plane, I had this overwhelming feeling of nervousness and self-consciousness about my prosthetic leg. I decided I didn’t want to go. But miraculously, the trip leader called me that night and told me she knew why I was supposed to be on this trip. She told me there was a little boy in Haiti named Jovins; he had a prosthetic leg and was having trouble fitting in with his friends. So, I changed my mind and decided to go on the trip and meet Jovins. While in Haiti, I was able to show Jovins that I, too, have a prosthetic leg and that he was not alone in his fight. On the last day of the trip, just as we were about to leave, Jovins looked at me, smiled a huge smile, and waved goodbye. I realized that coming to Haiti to put a smile on Jovins face and show him that he is not alone was well worth the trip and overcoming my nervousness!
After coming back from Haiti, I have been inspired to share my story with other people to encourage them that they are not alone. In the future, I want to use my musical talent to become a worship leader and take my story of hope around the world and show people that they are not alone.
