LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Firefighter, 911 operator, rescuer, adventurer and role model – Dustin Pruett has many roles within his community, even as a double amputee.
“He goes out and does things to show kids that have lost limbs they can still go out and be productive and still be a part of society,” Lucas Knight said.
Pruett is a former Shrine patient ambassador. Once he reached 21, he aged out of the system, but that didn’t stop local men from investing in a relationship with Pruett and keeping up with his daily adventures.
After applying for a grant, Pruett received almost enough money to acquire a custom-built, battery-operated bike. With the help of generous donations, the bike was delivered to Pruett.
With a new ride to cruise around town and show to local kids, Pruett needed one more thing to make it perfect.
On Oct. 18, Gray Prost graciously donated a custom-built aluminum trailer to Pruett, so he could have easier access to loading and unloading his bike.
“What we have done is got him this bike, and then, of course, being a paraplegic, he can’t really get the bike in the back of the truck, so Gray Prost donated the trailer, and some other guys did some other things to make sure that he had a trailer, that way he could get it to where he needed to,” Knight said.
Pruett was lost for words when describing his gratitude to the countless individuals who helped put all of this together.
“There’s not a lot of words to say … Now I get to share this with a lot of others. I’ve already had a lot of kids look at (my bike). There’s a lot of neighborhood kids and I’ve already had races with them,” Pruett said. “This has benefited more than just me … That’s all I really care about. I know it helps me, but if it helps others while helping me, then that’s what makes it worth it.”
Knight admires Pruett’s persistent efforts to create smiles on children’s faces.
“As a paraplegic, most people would give up. He never gave up,” he said.
If you know a local person, group or organization enacting positive change in Edgar County, nominate them for a spot in The Prairie Press’ “Making an Impact” series. Check out the Prairie Press Facebook page for more information.