Friend wants help to buy 'Leg for Louie' the firefighter

SUMMERVILLE — Amputee John Lewis loves volunteering for the Pine Ridge Fire Department, but charging into action on an old artificial leg can leave him weary and worn by the end of a call.

The prosthetic limb Lewis keeps in his fire boot is 15 years old, with a crack up the side and a knee socket that's falling apart. It rubs his shortened right leg raw over time.

"I ain't had to sit out any fires, but it's sure had me sore," said Lewis, who lost his leg in a motorcycle crash 29 years ago.

Lewis, 51, has another prosthetic limb for daily use, but that one has about five years of wear and tear on it. He's reluctant to take that one into a fire because his health insurance won't cover the cost of a new artificial leg. He figured he would have to make do.

That didn't sit right with his friend Angela Prosser. She figured if Lewis was willing to risk his life to help others, he should at least have a decent leg under him for support.

Prosser last week launched the "Leg for Louie" fundraising campaign to buy Lewis a new prosthetic limb. Models and prices vary, but she estimates that about $15,000 should get Lewis the leg he needs. "I think there will definitely will be an outpouring of support for something like that," she said.

The effort got a boost from North Charleston-based Floyd Brace Co., which offered to help cover about half of the cost of a new leg, Prosser said.

Larry Wiley, co-owner of the company, said he has known Lewis for years and considers him to be a true inspiration.

"Many who suffer limb loss look to others for safety and security. Louie dons his fire suit and his prosthetic leg and puts himself in harm's way to provide safety and security to our community," he said. "Truly amazing."

Donations to the "Leg for Louie" campaign can be made at any First Federal branch.

Reach Glenn Smith at 937-5556 or gsmith@postandcourier.com.

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