|
2008 Rodeo
Wish Recipient ~ Jonah Vandever
|
View Photo
Gallery
|
|
In 2003,
the Reno Rodeo Foundation established the Rodeo Wish
program
to identify and assist young people in northern
Nevada who have unique and extraordinary medical
needs wherein their short-term and long-term quality
of life can be enhanced through the granting of a
wish. We are pleased to recognize
Jonah Vandever as the 2008 recipient.
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.
As
the 2008 Rodeo Wish recipient, Jonah will have many
opportunities to enjoy being a cowboy,
including riding into the
arena during the 2008 Reno Rodeo. He will also
be an honored guest at Perry Di Loreto's gala dinner for
the Reno Rodeo Invitational Team Roping. |
2008 Rodeo Wish Photo Gallery
Jonah works with
Prosthetist Rick Riley
to make sure his new Aqua-Legs fit correctly
Jonah and his mom
Steffini are
excited about Jonah's new legs
Jonah is honored
at the April Reno Rodeo Luncheon. He receives
a standing ovation for his work helping disabled Veterans learn
to ski
Jonah and Miss
Reno Rodeo 2008, Megan Lucke
Jonah and Marie
Baxter
Jonah with 2008
Reno Rodeo President, Mark Elston,
his wife Bev and the President of the
Reno Rodeo Foundation, John Solari
Jonah and his mom,
Steffini
2007 Rodeo Wish Recipient: Lenna Fegan
2006 Rodeo Wish Recipient:
Connor Fogal
|
