The Bazzle family — clockwise from top, Ronnie, Sheila, David and Brian

More than 25 years of pain and leg sores were gone within a few weeks. "I wouldn’t have believed it if it hadn’t happened to me," recalled Ronnie Bazzle a below knee amputee from Clover, South Carolina. "I’m a large person (280 lbs.), and I thought the exhaustion of being on my feet all day and dealing with the pain was part of living as an amputee. I was wrong, as it turns out."

Having lost his right leg as the result of a motorcycle accident when he was 25, Ronnie spent decades in pain from his prosthesis and open sores on his residual leg. Despite getting a new prosthetic socket and limb every four to seven years, the pain never seemed to abate. "I thought this is what it’s like to be an amputee — I didn’t know any different," Bazzle continued.

His job as a quality control manager at the Cookson Corporation, a warehouse door manufacturer in Gastonia, required him to be on his feet long hours. "I love my job, but it requires walking throughout our large plant, in addition to occasionally working in cherry pickers high above the factory floor. Over the years, the pain was such that I was putting all my physical effort into my job to support my family," recalled Bazzle regretfully. "When I got home, I was able to do some chores to help our small farm, but otherwise, I wasn’t very helpful around the house."

When it was time to replace his prosthesis, Ronnie realized he was going to get the same old thing.

Ronnie Bazzle and his sons, Brian (standing) and David, enjoy fishing

Since receiving his custom fit, lightweight prosthesis in early 1998, Ronnie has noticed a dramatic change in his life. "Within a few weeks after being fit with the new socket and leg, my sores had begun to heal, and I wasn’t in pain any longer," he recalled, thankfully.

"I have much more energy at work. In fact, several of my co workers have told me to slow down. Even more importantly, I am able to be there more for my family. We’re going on vacations as a family and getting out and doing more together."

"Its hard to believe how much a new leg can change your life. When I lost my leg 25 years ago, I never thought I’d be getting around this good ever again," stated Ronnie happily.