Stephen Mackelprang - The Hop About: Right Back to Where I Belong

Give me a minute. Gotta put myself together.

Putting myself together didnt use to involve attaching an ankle-foot orthotic (AFO) on my right foot and a prosthetic leg to whats left of my left leg. People look at someone like me first and foremost with pity or with fright. I know. Misconceptions plague our society.

I grew up with an uncle who had lost his left arm and all but the thumb and pointer finger on his right hand. Id only recently come to remember after being reminded he was also a below-knee amputee. Thats how I knew him, and it freaked me out. The way he acted didnt. My lack of understanding of what happened to him and what his capabilities were left me scared. I came to find out that his attitude was much like mine when I was young. He was a real prankster, fear kept me from discovering.

More than anything, I was scared of what I would do if tragedy struck me. As a child, I was unnerved when considering how I would go on living like that if I were in his shoes.

As a child, adults (mistakenly) told me that one of my cousins was retarded. Later, I learned that he was born with severe cerebral palsy (CP). Not until I got my biology degree did I discover that people with CP are mentally acute. In no way was his mental acuity slowed. Only his motor function was disturbed, and much of my family wasnt aware. I was told that he was retarded because of their ignorance not any kind of malice. It was a sign of the times. Never was he looked down upon in life and has been able to develop his own small business. Ive found these misconceptions to be common.

One purpose of this book is to show you, reader, that we are all people with challenges. Challenges come in different forms: from physical to substance abuse, to psychological trauma and more and they are all different and all exhausting. Different and exhausting for all along lifes journey. Nevertheless, despite struggles, each of us can achieve far more than many people believe.

Im often asked, Howd you lose your leg?

Generally, my answer is, Its complicated. Im writing a book about it. Ill tell you the story, full of complications, full of its mystery.

This book has changed forms many times. Now, Ive evolved as a person and found the best way to add in an inspirational story. People tell me that my life is inspiring. It seems lazy not to share it with others.