ATTICUS ROOT HAS BATTLED BONE CANCER ON AND OFF SINCE HE WAS 13.
WE FIRST MET ROE IN 2019 AFTER HE HAD HIS LEFT LEG AMPUTATED ABOVE THE KNEE.
IT WASN'T REALLY THAT HARD OF A DECISION TO MAKE.
IT'S EITHER MY LIFE.
OR AN AMPUTATION
SAID HE RECEIVED CHEMOTHERAPY FOR OSTEOSARCOMA
FOUND IN HIS FEMUR.
HIS MOTHER,
IRENE VELSTRA,
TELLING US WITH CANCER YOU HAVE LITTLE CONTROL.
I THINK AS MOMS,
WE TRY TO,
WE WANT TO HAVE A MAGIC WAND AND FIX IT,
AND WE CAN'T.
SOON AFTER THIS,
ATTICUS RECEIVED A PROSTHETIC COMPLETE WITH A LEG,
KNEE,
AND RUNNING BLADE SIMILAR TO THIS ONE.
IT WAS CUSTOM MADE TO FIT HIS BODY,
COSTING ABOUT $8000.
IT ALSO CAME AS A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN THE FAMILY SAYS SOMEONE BROKE
INTO HIS CAR IN DOWNTOWN PORTLAND AS ATTICUS WAS HAVING DINNER NEARBY.
THEY POPPED THE TRUNK AND HIS LEG WAS IN THE TRUNK AND THAT GOT STOLEN ALONG WITH UM.
SOME OF HIS WORK EQUIPMENT,
HIS WELDING LIKE BAG THAT HE HAD FOR WORK AND STUFF GOT STOLEN AS WELL.
ATTICUS'S UNCLE JOSHUA VELSTRA AND HIS WIFE
SET UP A GOFUNDME PAGE TO HELP COVER THE COSTS OF A NEW PROSTHETIC,
KNOWING IT'S ONE SMALL THING THEY CAN DO TO HELP.
HE WAS STARTING TO FEEL A LOT BETTER WITH EVERYTHING WITH HIS LEG,
AND
IT'S JUST LIKE,
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE YOU
CAN'T CATCH A BREAK TYPE OF SITUATION.