Matt Cameron - 2009
Matt Cameron’s life changed in an instant. While
walking to school several months ago, he was the
victim of an accident that required the amputation
of his leg below the knee. An avid football player,
motorcycle enthusiast, and all-around outdoorsman,
Matt was afraid he would no longer be able to do the
things he loves to do. Thanks to the innovation of
Rick Riley, a nationally recognized prosthetist, a
generous donation of a special prosthetic foot by
Freedom Innovations, and the Reno Rodeo
Foundation, Matt now has a sport-friendly prosthetic
leg that will allow him to take the field with his
teammates at Lowery High School in Winnemucca this
fall.
Vernon Long - 2009
Vernon Long is a bubbly
10 year old with moderate mental retardation.
He has so much to share with the world, but an
expressive speech problem is holding him back
from clearly verbalizing his thoughts. Thanks to
the recommendations of a caring social worker, who
has been overseeing Vernon’s care at the Kid’s
Kottage and in foster care, and several education
and speech specialists, the Reno Rodeo Foundation
provided Vernon with a lap top computer loaded
with special software designed to help him improve
his oral and written language skills and his
hand-eye coordination both at school and at home.
Vernon's wish is being partially underwritten by a
grant from the Dermody Properties Foundation.
Jonah Vandever -
2008
Jonah Vandever was born with severe physical
deformities. He had no forehead, his hands were
webbed and his legs were bent backward such that his
clubbed feet rested slightly below his chin.
Steffini Vandever, Jonah’s mom, was told to wrap him
in a blanked and love him until he died. The
experts gave him 6 months.
Ten
years later, you would never guess that Jonah’s
arrival into this world was so tumultuous. A
delightful young man who is in the fourth grade at
Rollan Melton Elementary School in Reno, Jonah has
a heart of gold and legs of steel. Jonah’s twisted
legs were amputated right above the knee when he was
just 18 months old. With the help of two
state-of-the-art prosthetic legs, Jonah walks, runs,
and is quite a skier. In fact, each winter he
travels to Breckenridge, Colorado to participate in
the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project, where
he mentors United States Military Veteran’s
returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who have lost
limbs in combat. Equipped with special ski legs,
Jonah demonstrates for the soldiers how to tackle
the daunting slopes of the famous Colorado Rockies.
Although Jonah has special legs for walking, running
and skiing, there is one pair of legs he needed that
were just outside his family’s reach. Jonah’s wish
to have a pair of Aqua-Legs was fulfilled by the
Reno Rodeo Foundation this spring, thanks to local
Certified Prosthetist, Rick Riley. Jonah will
now be able to bathe independently and enjoy water
sports.
Lenna Fagan - 2007
A ninth-grade student from Gardnerville, Nevada,
Lenna has a true zest for life. Whether it's
playing soccer or racing around on her scooter,
nothing keeps Lenna from leaping forward to achieve
her goals. What makes this remarkable?
Not only was she adopted from a Russian orphanage as
an infant, Lenna was born without a right leg.
Thanks to many generous individuals and a
significant grant from the Reno Rodeo Foundation,
Lenna now has a state-of-the-art prosthetic leg
complete with a micro-processor knee that allows her
a range of motion she has never previously
experienced. Lenna's wish was to be able to
walk without crutches so she could carry her books
and be able to help out her dad by mowing the lawn.
Thanks to the efforts of Rick Riley, an innovative
prosthetist,
she can do all that and more.
As
the 2007 Rodeo Wish recipient, Lenna has had many
opportunities to try out her new prosthetic leg,
including riding into the
arena during the 2007 Reno Rodeo. She was also
an honored guest at Perry DiLoreto's gala dinner for
the Reno Rodeo Invitational Team Roping and rode in
the Reno Rodeo Parade.
Please take a moment to scroll through the photos of
Lenna's adventures since she took her first steps in
January into a very exciting future.
Connor Fogal - 2006
Even though Connor has Cerebral Palsy, at 13 he is
quite an accomplished horseman. It's a good
thing too since he aspires to be a true cowboy.
Always quick with a smile and a joke, Connor truly
embodies the spirit of determination. Connor's
favorite thing to do, second only to flirting with
the ladies, is to ride in the equestrian program at
Marvin Picollo School in Reno.
Connor's
Rodeo Wish is something that most cowboys take for
granted - owning a pair of boots. Thanks to
Terry Kistner and his wife, Lee, of
Valley Boot and Shoe in Overton, Nevada, Connor
now has a pair of custom-made "leg-brace friendly"
black elk hide cowboy boots. Connor had the
opportunity to show off his new boots as the honored
guest at the June 21 performance of the Reno Rodeo.
The Foundation has also made arrangements for Connor
and his parents to attend the National Finals Rodeo
in Las Vegas in December.
Connor
is a remarkable young man who never lets his
physical challenges deter him from experiencing life
to the fullest. We are honored to acknowledge
his spirit and determination.
