I am 11 year old Davylyn Dennison from Vernon, Arizona. Vernon is situated very near Show Low, Arizona where the Rodeo-Chediski fire burned way too close for comfort.

I have been an amputee since birth. This has required me to wear a prosthetic leg to walk or do anything else that I want to do. The amputation occurred before birth and was caused by Amniotic Band Syndrome. I lost my leg below the knee on my right side. The same condition caused me to lose parts of my fingers on both hands and most of my toes on my left foot. Amniotic Band syndrome is a rupture of the amniotic sac causing strands of the amniotic tissue to wrap around the extremities, in my case resulting in amputations. Being an amputee has not kept me in any way from doing the things that I enjoy the most, like: singing, team sports, swimming, snow skiing (my favorite), beauty pageants and most importantly, making friends. I am a straight A student who learns at home. My mom uses a very challenging curriculum that definitely keeps me on my toes academically.

Last year, I competed in a Jr. Miss Pageant and was selected by the judges to be Navajo County Princess. I also competed in the Cinderella Youth Program and was given the first place title of Cinderella Miss. I went to the Arizona State competition for the Cinderella Youth Program and won Top 10 and also placed second runner up in the talent competition. The past two years at age 9 and 10, I competed in the Country Showdown which is a national competition at a local level. Although I didn’t win, I’ve been told that I was the crowd favorite. I must have impressed the Entertainment Director at the casino where the competition was held because he asked me after to submit my portfolio so that I could be hired to sing at the casino for conventions. (My very first job for pay!!)

Fikes Orthopedic Specialties (Called Fikes Brace & Limb in Mesa, Arizona) is one of the great blessings in my life. Ray Fikes has been so kind to me that I would like to see him every day just so I could talk to him. He is my friend. Ray made me the very first prosthesis that stays on, and I never have to worry that it might come off. Even before I was really Ray’s patient, he and his staff in Show Low made the leg that I was wearing work much better. With the changes that he made to my old leg, I was able to go out and have no problem learning how to snow ski. Now with my excellent new leg, I can keep up with the best of them going down the slopes. I was watching a news program the other night when I saw Paul McCartney’s new wife take her prosthesis off and show it to the news anchor. I was amazed at how much it looked like my own. Her leg was also made to stay on the very same way that mine does.

Mr. Stump and I are very grateful to Fikes Brace & Limb and the clinic in Show Low for making my life more mobile. Mr. Stump is the name that I gave to my new leg. I am so glad that my life has crossed the path of Ray Fikes and his wonderful staff.

-- Davylyn Dennison