'I'm so thankful:' VA makes Tucson veteran's prosthetic needs a reality

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'I'm so thankful:' VA makes Tucson veteran's prosthetic needs a reality KGUN 9 Tucson News

Tucson, AZ — Samuel Richardson was only a few days from turning 60 years old when his life changed forever.

The longtime Tucson resident was involved in a serious ATV accident while on vacation in Rocky Point with friends to celebrate his milestone birthday in February of 2019.

“I am diabetic,” Richardson said. “By the time I got back to Tucson, this foot was gangrene. They cut me at the ankle.”

Richardson spent several days following the accident in a bed at St. Joseph’s Hospital, shades drawn.

“I wanted complete darkness,” he said. “For two days, I didn’t want to live.”

But hope was not entirely lost. Inspired by the cross that hung in his room, Richardson told himself that he wasn’t going to let his new reality define who he was.

He was fitted with a prosthetic, and was released from the hospital in April. By July, he was up and running.

“You are going to come out of this,” he would say.

THE NEXT STEPS

An athlete, Richardson adapted quickly to the prosthetic provided to him.

“I got the best treatment,” he said. “As best as they could that my insurance would cover.”

But he wanted more.

It wasn't until he met Tim Cook, amputation rehab coordinator with the Tucson VA Medical Center, at an adaptive event, that he realized his 14 years in the Navy was the thing that was going to take him to the next level.

“As long as we’ve had a VA here, we’ve had a prosthetics department in varying degrees,” Cook said.

Richardson qualified for care, so he started the process ...

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It is just amazing what can be done these days and there is more to come. Best of luck…