While vacationing in Panama Beach, an Alabama dad lost his leg while helping his son stay afloat.
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During a wakeboard session with his youngest son, Andrew Walker faced a set of unfortunate circumstances: save your prosthetic leg, or save your son.
"I was out helping my youngest son on his wakeboard and trying to keep him from getting pulled out. So I had to go out a little bit deeper than I would. But he ended up getting hit by a wave too hard, and it pulled the prosthetic and the liner all off. First time that's ever happened," Walker said.
From there, Walker said his fatherly instinct kicked in. Without hesitation, he reached for his son while his prosthetic leg was swept away.
Although he brought a backup on vacation, Walker admitted he's a bit bummed that his newly purchased prosthetic leg is lost at sea.
"I mean, as soon as it came off I had it in my hand almost. And then my son fell down. So, I let it go and pushed him up. Just to make sure he was up on the beach. But as soon as it slipped out of my hand, it just sucked it straight out," Walker said.
"I just got it about a week and a half ago, so hopefully I'll be able to go back and get another one soon," Walker said.
Internet Rallies to Replace Heroic Dad's Prosthetic Leg
Walker told Wane 15 that he plans to enjoy the rest of his vacation, albeit with a lesser prosthetic leg. The Alabama father noted that his spare leg is his original prosthetic.
Now a decade old, Walker said that the backup prosthetic does not function as well as the one swept away while wakeboarding.
Depending on the model and customization, acquiring a prosthetic leg can be pricey. Depending on the level of amputation, out-of-pocket costs for prosthetic legs can range between $3000 and $70,000.
A GoFundMe account to help fund Walker's replacement has nearly reached its $8000 goal.
