By JoNel Aleccia
DESCHAPELLES, Haiti -- Schneily Similien doesn't want to wait a minute longer.
The 4-year-old Haitian boy who lost his left leg in the earthquake has just arrived for another visit at the clinic where he knows that today he's supposed to get an artificial limb.
He sees more than a dozen grown-up amputees wearing their legs, and, like any preschooler, he wants one, too.
"Papa! Papa! Go get my leg for me," he calls out in Haitian Creole. "Papa, get my foot so I can walk."
Schneily's father, Ducarmel Similien, also spelled Cimilien, is as anxious as anyone to see this new contraption, the device that's supposed to make his son whole again.
Still, he urges the rambunctious boy to be patient -- and brave.
"We're waiting, we're waiting," he says to his son. "Remember, don't cry when they put it on."
There seems to be little chance of that when prosthetics expert Jay Tew shows up a few minutes later with the leg. Tew is the manager of the newly launched Hanger Orthopedic Group clinic at Hopital Albert Schweitzer and Schneily is, so far, the youngest of some 85 patients.
The boy opens his eyes wide and giggles at the sight of the leg before hopping quickly on his crutches into the fitting room. He smiles as Tew powders his residual limb, a smooth stump of dark skin.
Tew slides a sock on the boy's limb, then a liner, then the leg. Over that he smoothes a sleeve that will hold the limb on Schneily's body.
Finally, it's time to walk.
Schneily slides off the bench where he's sitting and steps gingerly onto the floor. The leg is a little short, Tew says, and they'll need to adjust it later.
Schneily will need new shoes, too, two of them, for proper fitting, and he gives someone, anyone, money to rush to the nearby market to find a pair of size 6 children's sneakers.
Meanwhile, Schneily takes one step, then two, and then looks anxiously toward his dad. The smile is gone. His left knee buckles a bit.
"Stand up tall, up tall," Tew urges in English, frustrated once again that he doesn't speak Creole.
As Tew holds him, Schneily takes a few more hard, wobbly steps away from the bench, then back before Tew sits him down.
"Yay!" Tew cheers, slapping Schneily's hand. "High five!"
A few feet away, Ducarmel watches the process intently until Schneily is done. Then, the 40-year-old carpenter, a man who has trekked across hundreds of miles in post-quake Haiti to get help for this child, walks over to the corner of the room, bows his head against the cinder block wall -- and cries.
The leg is fine, he tells a translator, but it's also a jarring reminder that even with the device, an already hard life in Haiti will be even harder for his youngest son.
"I wish I could reverse the universe," Ducarmel tells the translator as he wipes his eyes. "I wish it never happened at all."
Tew walks over to comfort Ducarmel, to tell him that the first fitting is often much harder on the parent than the child.
"He is going to do great," Tew says through an interpreter.
Within minutes, someone calls out that they have the shoes, a pair of used Buzz Lightyear sneakers that light up with every step. It's not clear whether Schneily recognizes the popular character from the children's movie "Toy Story," but he eagerly dons the new shoes.
With Tew's help, Schneily steps out into the courtyard to practice with his crutches and his leg, moving cautiously on the rocky ground. He seems perplexed by the leg and by Tew's instructions to walk heel-to-toe, the best way to mimic a natural step.
After a few tries, he starts to get the hang of it. The limb doesn't hurt him, he says. That's a good sign, although as he puts more weight on his residual limb, it could become very tender. All amputees have to be careful to avoid pressure points that cause skin breakdown and sores, which can lead to infection.
It'll take practice and time for his body to adjust, but Tew predicts that Schneily will be running within the week.
As the child grows, Tew promises that the clinic will be in place to lengthen the shank of his prosthetic limb or even to replace it every year or so. The goal of the project is to train Haitian physical therapists and technicians to help the region's amputees now and in the future.
"Infinity and beyond," Tew says, quoting Buzz Lightyear's famous catchphrase. "That's our slogan now."
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May the good Lord bless them all!!!
God is good!! God bless the child...
I dont think God has anything to do with this - you need to thank the good people who are doing all the work in Haiti
"Infinity and beyond." That's how much God loves all of us.
To Jay, Thank you for sharing that love.
"Infinity and beyond." That's how much we are loved by God.
To Jay, thank you for being a witness to that love in a world that needs it so badly.
When i first saw this young boy and read his story it touched my heart. I gave a small donation to Hospital Albert Schweitzer and notated it for this boy to receive. It wasnt much but I was hoping many more readers would find it in their hearts to give a little too..I was so happy reading this article today!
I hope and pray that this young boy will be a star runner for the Interntational Olympics in a number of years ..or that he will be able to get to others in their moment of need as others came for him .. and that the tears of his father will be fewer. A very moving and beautiful story of the beautiful people of Haiti. Their lives are changed forever ... through them, our lives can be changed too! If we so allow that to happen.
I was brought to tears...what spirit that little boy has! You can just tell that he's going to make a positive difference in this world. Although I've been hurt by the economic times right now, I can only think now to go buy a few pairs of Buzz shoes to send to the clinic to help as much as I can.
Are all you people who are thanking your god for giving this little boy a prosthetic leg, thanking the same god who sent the earthquake in the first place?
I think that you need to realize that some people find strength in God during difficult times and there is no reason to mock or discourage that faith!
I don't even believe in God, and I think it's a total dick move to start bandying about blame FOR AN EARTHQUAKE.
People are allowed to find strength in their religious convictions.
I sure if you look around there are plenty of atheist message boards for you to make your comments.
I don't know...good thing happen to evil people and good things happen to good people. That is the same for bad things happening as well. Natural disasters do happen without any personal regard to who is evil and who is good. Accepting Jesus as you savior and God as you father provides you with assistance to go through the good and the bad with them at your side or it places them as a shield between evil and you and it's affects. God provided both to the believers of Haiti and mercy to those who do not believe in Him as the news reports showed after the earthquake.
God is no more mad at Haiti than He is any other country. He love us all and is reaching out to all of us providing divine care and divine guidance to us daily, as He did in Haiti during the earthquake.
God has His set time when all will be judged, but now is not the time, and He did not do this to the people of Haiti. He has told us in His word what to look for when it does happen, how to live together in the meantime, and He has given us time to learn who He really is and to become responsible followers of His Son. But God is not forcing Himself on anyone. We are free to believe or not believe, to leave with Him or be left behind. He tells us to choose this day what we will do.
God tells us there are consequence to our actions and He tells us ahead of time in His word what actions not to take to avoid the consequences. How's that for a cheat sheet! There is an opposite force of God that is allowed to wreck havoc on this earth and on believers and non-believers lives until God's set time, when He will provide order. Until that time, there will be two forces for us to choose between. In the meantime, God has provided us a free choice, and assistance when evil prevails, or a shield between us and evil.
None of us are going to live forever. Our bodies wear out and they are not indestructible. We can settle for "ashes to ashes and dust to dust", or we can choose today to live for Christ and meet our God when our time to die happens.
It is your choice and God is not forcing Himself on anyone!
He is just a baby and so brave.... may god continue to bless him.
I'm so thrilled to see that this child has his new leg! Also, that there will be a place that he can get upgrades as he grows. So very important when you are an amputee to be able to have continued follow-up. Love the Buzz shoes...somehow that message..."from infinity and beyond" is so fitting for this little cutie.
i am not a person easily moved. my job almost requires me to have a cold heart and short fuse to keep things running correctly, which i have been told i do very well. the point i am making is that i am not moved easily. this little boy struck a cord in this cold heart of mine and i too had a tear in my eye as i read about the boy and his father's plight and worries for his son. next time you feel sorry for yourself, think of these poor people. you will improve instantly. GOD help them.
After 40+ years in healthcare, I never cease to marvel at the rewards...this child is a prime example of what humans can do for others. May his family receive many more blessings and may this inspiring little guy grow up to be an example to others. Thanks to those dedicating their efforts to helping those impacted by this devastating disaster. Well done to his father, for his persistance in finding help for his son...he must be ecstatic.
That's awesome, how wonderful for this brave little boy. My father was also an amputee due to circular problems, and it was a long road to recovery for him. But with this little boy's great attitude he'll be jumping and running in no time.
And yes, startrekker, I do thank the God who sent the earthquake in the first place. I don't understand why it happened, but I trust that God knows best and all things happen for a reason. I wish tragedies like this didn't happen, but out of them often come the kindest and best responses of mankind's noble nature.
My one concern for him is, what happens as he grows... does he prosthetic constantly need to be adjusted to fit his new height? How will he be able to afford this?
His smile could light up this sometimes dark world we live in. We could ALL take a lesson from this 4 year old child. In America, we whine about the most petty things and to see how happy this boy is and his father as well, just makes all those petty things seem invisible!! God bless this boy and his family and everyone over there suffering now! Don't EVER give up!!
Wow this is a very heart touching story, i don't know if I would have been as positive as Schneily, but it just goes to show how life crazy is, one minute you have something and the next minute you don't... i'm sure everybody especially the Haitian victims are grateful for all the help that has been offered to them in this desperate time of need.
I am a strong believer of the saying "Everything happens for a reason" so one must always look for the light beyong the tunnel of darkness.
What the...? What's with all the religious bunk here? There is no god, and if there is he would snuff your life out like I might step on an ant and not notice. Haiti? Indonesia? Thousands and thousands dead! What, did they fail gods test? You going to tell me they were killed to test those who lived? Morons! Life is here, now, and around you! Not in some 'god'.
Please, find courage, strength and inspiration in the PEOPLE who survived, and to those who CARE to make a difference in other's lives. Leave your beliefs behind and help because you are HUMAN!
First...
Someone once said to me:
"The way I see it... if I believe in God and I'm wrong... oh well, no one loses. If I believe in God and I'm right, I win. If I don't believe in God, and I'm right, it doesn't really matter. And if I don't believe in God and I'm wrong... well... I'm SCREWED! Seems to me that it couldn't hurt to believe." :)
Second... have you ever considered that people die, and people get sick, and people are born with handicaps, not to be punished, but as angels to teach the rest of us a little compassion and empathy? If no one suffered, we wouldn't know those feelings... and we all need to be put in check periodically.
Finally, why should it bother you that people are thanking God? If you don't believe, then it doesn't really matter to you anyway. They might as well be thanking a neighbor... but you probably wouldn't be offended by that.. would you? People are entitled to their beliefs, and whether you believe or not, you should be considerate and respectful of others, especially when it is kindness that they are promoting.... no one is being hurt... well, except the people you offend by calling them "Morons".
I could feel the tears stinging my eyes as I saw the video clip, but I know that little beautiful little boy - that shining star - is going to do great. Go Schneily!!!!!!!!!!
What a precious child. I hope that we will all continue to reach out through our donations to insure that other children and adults will have the devices for arms , hands and legs needed to help them become functional again.
That is such a wonderful story! What a beautiful little boy! I, too, am going to make a donation to his hospital in hopes that he will benefit from it. God Bless!!
Aww he is the cutest! He touched my heart. May God bless Schneily and his family and all of the heros who are there helping those in need! You all are in my prayers.
MSCBC: Are you going to follow-up on the other children in Haiti who also lost limbs? I hope so. Schneily is precious but I would like an update on all the others too. Thanks
What a beautiful little boy. I'm so glad to hear things like this are happening and there is some sort of plan for the future.
This young brave boy is surely going to do something great for the Glory and Honour of our Heavenly father. I can see it in him. I do wish that we could do more for this family. I do have a thought and I have given this to the Father who will and is the one who will allow us the opportunity to do what we are supposed to do. According to one writer, I would be grateful for update on the others. We will continue to pray for those amputees and also thank the Father for those who are selflessly doing this great service for mankind. Blessing to all of you , continue to do everything for the Glory and Honour of our Heavenly Father. Let us continue to support these persons, organisations in whatever way we possibly can.
What a beautiful, but sad story of this little boy whose father is so caring..
Sometimes we wonder why things happen like they do, but always remember
God is there and always will be , to guide and help us and those who desperately
need His help. I pray for them all and wish I could do something for them.Those of you who do not believe in God, should look around you and thank Him for what you have and that you are not in need like the people of Haiti. I will also pray for you, so that you might find peace in your hearts and minds.