Saturday, September 26, 2009

Amputee Ironman wants to provide services to disabled children worldwide

From KING 5 News:

SEATTLE - Scott Rigsby (pictured) made history. He was the first double amputee to cross the finish line at the most grueling one day race on this planet - the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon.

We caught up with him on his recent Seattle visit. He was autographing his new book "Unthinkable" at a prosthetics convention in Seattle. Naturally, we wanted to hear all about his historic race - how one man with two artifical legs could possible complete 2.4 miles in the water, 112 miles on the bike and a 26.2 mile run to top it off.

But Scott wanted to talk about something else. The kids.

"A lot of these kids are from war-torn countries," says Rigsby as he pointed to the pictures in the 'picture book' he carries with him. They are children who've been neglected, abandoned, left to die for one reason - they're disabled.

It breaks Scott's heart.

"When I was 18 and I had my accident, my family, they rallied around me. Whereas kids over there, they're institutionalized. They're looked upon as like lesser, less than human", says Rigsby.

So Rigsby's teamed up with World Vision to get people in our community to sponsor a child for $35 a month. It's what Scott is giving to Hillary's family.

"What if he grows up to be a great leader? It's because, you know what? He didn't starve that year. He didn't starve the next year," said Rigsby.

Rigsby knows about small steps. It's how he's lived his life. So today, his hope, his prayer is to get one person to help one child.

He found someone. Dee Camp.

"What an honor to be able to do that," says Camp. Camp decided today to help 8-year-old Jose Francisco live a better life, thanks to the man who carries a picture book everywhere he goes.