Sometimes being brave is what gets us through. Facing the unknown and facing unknown possibilities down the line is familiar to any of us living with a disability.

Maybe no one understands that better than Rudy Tolson, who made the decision to have both of his legs amputated above the knee when he was only five years old.

Born with legs that weren’t able to support him and allow him to function properly, Rudy wanted more than anything to be as active as his brothers and sisters were. When he was faced with the decision of whether or not he wanted to amputate his legs at such a young age, Rudy had such a unique perspective on the choice that his perseverance and wisdom are striking -

“At that point, it was easy for me. I just looked up at my mom and said, “Let’s do it; let’s cut my legs off.”...When I was born, I had chains around my legs...and as soon as I had my legs amputated, they were gone, and I was able to live a full life.” Rudy Garcia-Tolson