Heather Abbott Helps Amputees With Custom Prosthetics

Abbott was injured in the Boston Marathon bombing and is running and dancing again with the help of prosthetics.

Rhode Island native Heather Abbott was one of the hundreds injured in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. As a result, her leg was amputated and she learned to walk and run again with various prosthetic limbs. She didn’t want to give anything up, even wearing high heels, which require a specific prosthesis. “If I can learn to walk in Newport, I can walk anywhere!” she says.

More than two years later, Abbott has dedicated her time to the Heather Abbott Foundation (HAF), raising funds to provide customized prostheses to others. “Many don’t know that prosthetics have to be replaced every three to five years. If you want to run, there’s a different prosthetic needed,” she says. Most insurance companies cover just one, not different variations. A single prosthetic can cost upwards of $70,000.

The foundation has raised $50,000 to date. Abbott hopes that in some way, she can help those who have suffered limb loss. “Everyone heals in their own time,” she says. heatherabbottfoundation.org