Boy survives attack in Gaza, getting prosthetic leg in Detroit

DETROIT (WJBK) - A 13-year-old boy is getting a chance to walk again after traveling around the world to get a new leg after losing his in an attack in June.

Mohammed lost his leg when he was shot during protests along the Israeli border in June. Now he's in Detroit, determined to walk again thanks to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.

"The medic that tended to him, knew him. He was begging for his leg not to be taken off but because of the seriousness of the injury and the prospect of becoming septic, they had to cut off his leg," Yasmeen Hamed said.

Hamed is president of the Detroit Palestine Children's Relief Effort. The organization brought him to stay with a host family and to receive a prosthetic leg.

He's most excited to get back to normal - which means soccer.

Matt Warner with Anew Life Prosthetics and Orthotics in Detroit is going to craft the prosthesis that will get Mohammed walking again.

"Once we get the liner that's going to fit him, we'll take a cast of his limb with that liner and that will be the start of the prosthesis," Warner said.

After the measurements, it will be a week or two until Mohammed gets his temporary prosthetic. They'll work on the final one then he'll get into physical therapy. He could be home playing soccer in a couple of months.

"You kind of are the one that helps them get back on their feet and playing soccer like Mohammed and getting back to their normal life so it feels good," Warner said.

Anew Life Prosthetics and Orthotics is donating all of the services. It would likely be impossible for Mohammed to get a new leg back home, where he is one of seven siblings who lost their father to cancer and is now being raised by a single mom.

"Something like this would probably be at least a ten or twelve thousand dollar leg - in reality," Chris Casteel, owner of Anew Life Prosthetics and Orthotics, said.

He lost his own leg 30 years ago and for him, this is a labor of love.

"Luckily I've been able to work in a way that I can help a lot of people," Casteel said.

Now a little boy who traveled a long way for a chance to walk again will soon get it.

"For him this is a life-changing opportunity. By the time he goes home, he'll be able to get back to his friends,  get back to playing soccer - be more independent back to the way he was before he lost his leg," Hamed said.