One Step at a Time

Tim Arnold is no stranger to being an amputee. At only seven years of age, he became an above-knee amputee due to bone cancer. He is now well into his adult life. He is a father to three young kids, has been married to the love of his life for 10 years, and enjoys a slew of outdoor activities. A recent accomplishment he notes being particularly proud of is graduating from his master’s program and becoming a certified prosthetist and orthotist. His expertise and lifelong, personal experience in the prosthetics field is appreciated by both his patients and co-workers. Several of his coworkers said they appreciated the thoughtfulness and compassion he exudes towards his patients. No doubt, his thoughtfulness, and compassion stem from a lifetime of understanding the ups and downs of being an amputee and understanding the hard work that stands behind the accomplishment of every goal achieved.

Tim has been no stranger to trying new things, and he has had a variety of accomplishments throughout his lifetime. For example, he was on the equestrian team in high school where they were district champions 3 times. He also played football and baseball growing up.  No small feats for any amputee! Now, he doesn’t participate in sports to the level that he used to, but he stays active through cycling, camping, and rock climbing. He and his family recently took a hiking and camping trip to Hocking Hills. Tim gives this advice to other amputees, “Don’t give up. Remember that everything takes work. You can do it if you put your mind to it, but everything new takes time. Just continue to take steps toward your goals.” Great advice that Tim has certainly lived out. As amputees, we should keep the end goal in mind but be keeping our eyes on the immediate next step. As Tim said, keep stepping… one step at a time. What is your next step?