Wednesday marked another remarkable day in Craig CunninghamB次元官网网址檚 journey from his life-threatening, on-ice incident three years ago.
The 28-year-old Trail native posted a video of himself on a prosthetic skate adeptly gliding around at a rink in San Diego.
It was the latest milestone for Cunningham, who saw his professional hockey career cut short in November, 2016 in Arizona when he collapsed on the ice prior to an American Hockey League game between Tuscon and Manitoba.
According to medical reports, Cunningham suffered ventricular fibrillation, a heart rhythm problem that occurs when the heart beats with rapid, erratic electrical impulses. An emergency start-of-the-art surgery helped relieve the stress on his heart and save his life but resulted in the loss of his left leg.
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Undeterred Cunningham worked diligently on his recovery and adapted to his new life and mobility.
And this week, thanks to a ground-breaking prosthetic skate, Cunningham was skating circles around the ice moving freely and almost effortlessly.
In a report by Amalie Benjamin on nhl.com, she described CunninghamB次元官网网址檚 first turns on his new skate.
B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 want to be embarrassed,B次元官网网址� Cunningham told Benjamin. B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 want to go out there and glide around and not look like I knew what I was doing. So as I spent more and more time on the ice, I got a little more comfortable, kind of get into that athletic position and really push and trust your edges and stuff like that.
B次元官网网址淓veryoneB次元官网网址檚 afraid of failure. IB次元官网网址檓 not any different than anyone else, so it was important. There were lots of cameras around and people watching, so I was like, [wow], IB次元官网网址檇 better get this thing done.B次元官网网址�
Cunningham had skated a few times before, his first time on ice was only four months after losing his leg. But in those instances he used a regular skate attached to his prosthetic leg.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 when San Diego-based Peter Harsch Prosthetics helped out.
The companyB次元官网网址檚 online story describes an effort to fill the gap of B次元官网网址渁chieving the perfect fit between active amputee and high-performance artificial limb.B次元官网网址�
In an interview with the Trail Times from his office in San Diego, Harsch explained the work and joy behind CunninghamB次元官网网址檚 achievement.
B次元官网网址淚t was really the first time that he got up and really skated,B次元官网网址� said Harsch. B次元官网网址淚 know he tried some other companies and he didnB次元官网网址檛 have the results. So that video was the first shot. There was no practicing.B次元官网网址�
More than just creating a prosthetic for an athlete, Harsch described the feeling and emotion involved as well.
B次元官网网址淐raig is such a great man. His Mom really raised a great man. When people have lots of setbacks you either have a choice to give up and surrender or just try and keep going. He looked at me and the guys who helped fabricate it and design it and he said B次元官网网址業 really appreciate this, you guys are changing my life for the better. I didnB次元官网网址檛 think this was possible.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very impressive when you someone like that, who has been through such hard times, that they can go home happy. ItB次元官网网址檚 a Godly blessing to be able to help somebody. I think the best is still to come.B次元官网网址�
Harsch said they began working with Cunningham in December to help him get a prosthetic to allow him to walk more comfortably. They reached that goal at their rehab centre in San Diego.
B次元官网网址淭hen he said B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檓 comfortable, I got a well-fitting leg, maybe I should rethink about getting back on the ice again.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e came up with a little bit of an idea.B次元官网网址�
Through their in-house work they designed a prosthetic using titanium, aircraft aluminum and added a Tuuk skate blade. Harsch said the design team had to figure out what they had to do anatomically and bio-mechanically to allow skate to feel like his leg and his skate are on the ice
B次元官网网址淲e looked at the angles and all the other stuff. We mocked something up and took him to the hockey rink Wednesday. Then on Thursday we put him through a three-mile run. When you have a good fitting leg you can start pushing the limits.B次元官网网址�
Harsch, a native of Tuscon, laughed at the fact that his team B次元官网网址渕ade a skate leg for an NHL hockey player and none of us ever played hockey or been to a rink.B次元官网网址�
His company has worked with numerous amputees from around the world from children to war veterans.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an honour to get somebody up and going. ItB次元官网网址檚 always a blessing to help someoneB次元官网网址檚 life.B次元官网网址�
Meanwhile, Cunningham told nhl.com that this week has been a big step forward in his recovery.
B次元官网网址淣ow that IB次元官网网址檝e got some stability in my leg and IB次元官网网址檓 not getting the pinpoint pressures anymore, itB次元官网网址檚 made a huge difference,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hey really say an active life goes on, and thatB次元官网网址檚 where IB次元官网网址檓 at right now, just tiptoeing my way to get to where I want to be.B次元官网网址�
He also told her that including the clip that sees him struggle slightly skating backwards was important to keep.
B次元官网网址淏eing an amputee is not the easiest thing in the world and it takes a lot of people some time to build up the confidence to try new things,B次元官网网址� Cunningham said. B次元官网网址淚 got a text, it was like, B次元官网网址榃hy didnB次元官网网址檛 you edit you skating backwards like that?B次元官网网址� I wanted to show that I still struggle to do things too, and itB次元官网网址檚 all trial and error. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why I left it.B次元官网网址�
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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