 Name: Buddy Elias
Occupation: RV Specialist, Bob Silva Ford/RV
Type of Amputation: Left BK
"Being an amputee is the best thing that could have ever happened to me," Buddy Elias, 34 year-old snowboarder, skateboarder, wakeboarder and surfer exclaims. "Even if I could go back and change the fact that I lost my leg, I wouldn't."
 A little more than 5 years ago, Bud, then a smoker, had a rare and serious allergic reaction to the nicotine in his cigarettes. Ultimately, this reaction resulted in the amputation of his left leg below the knee on June 23rd, 2000.
Following his amputation, Bud wore a SACH Foot, Pathfinder, and Pathfinder LP Feet. Although he was happy at first, Bud soon realized that there was much to be discovered on the subject of prosthetics.
About a year after he was fitted with the SACH Foot, Bud attended a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) event. It was there that he saw Pro Stock Motorcycle racer and bilateral BK amputee Reggie Showers racing his bike. "When I saw what Reggie could do on his TruStep Feet, I decided that I just had to try one out for myself," Bud says.
It wasn't long before Buddy returned to his prosthetists office. "When I tried the TruStep on, it was like night and day compared to the SACH foot. The TruStep is very versatile and has a great range of motion." As a very active athlete, Buddy continues to put his TruStep to the test. "When I wear my Pathfinder, I can stick about 65% of my landings on my snowboard. With the TruStep's bumper and pad system, I can stick 80% of my landings because the bumpers absorb the shock."
 Says Buddy, "with new technology and companies like CPI, there are no limitations to what you can do!" To learn more about Buddy, go to www.ampedriders.org
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