A Servant's Heart: Ben Belino's Specialized Prosthetic Leg

Growing up Ben always wanted to serve others in his community and on his 16th birthday he decided he would begin volunteering for the local fire department. In the fall of his junior year he began firefighter training in the evenings, unfortunately shortly after on October 10th, 2022 Ben Belino's life forever changed. On his way home from training in Quincy, WA Ben was involved in a serious head on collision when an oncoming car veered suddenly into his lane. First responders on the scene were his fellow firefighters from District #3. Ben sustained life altering injuries including a head injury, internal injuries and several broken bones. During recovery he developed an antibiotic resistant infection in his lower leg, leading to the difficult decision of an above knee amputation. But if you know Ben, this wasn't going to stop him and he worked hard to continue doing the things he loves. Three months after his amputation Ben went on to win multiple state titles in long distance wheelchair racing, both on the track and on the cross country course. Ben continued to defy all odds and graduated high school in the spring of 2024. Ben was determined to also receive his EMT certification and attended classes in the evenings after school and his various sports practices. Amidst taking his finals, Ben also took and passed his National Registry EMT test and upon receiving his high school diploma Ben received his WA State EMT license. Ben's servant heart continues to call him to serve others, and in the fall Ben will begin his studies in nursing at Eastern Washington University. He plans to work as an EMT and volunteer firefighter while in college with the goal of becoming a paramedic and career firefighter. He is also interested in several nursing careers including flight nurse and Trauma PA. In order to work as a firefighter Ben needs a specialized leg that is able to withstand the conditions encountered while fighting structure fires.. We are starting this campaign in the hopes of helping the Belino family purchase the prosthetic leg and other specialized equipment Ben will need to be prepared for his future and continue to fulfill his dreams of serving others.