Champion cyclist offers special gift
When one person wants to show appreciation to another that gesture often takes the form of gift giving. Some common gifts in our society include flowers, chocolate, jewellery, or even cash. But the gift in our next story is not so common…and neither is the giver. Patrick Jones reports.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
He’s best known as a champion cyclist, but Orlando Chavarria is also a humanitarian. And today that side of this athlete was evident when he visited an old friend from his youth.
Orlando Chavarria, Prosthesis Maker
“I mi know she from growing up. She lived on the next block beside me, and from growing up I used to see her walking around strong. And one day they had to take away her foot, so I just wanted to do something for her, you know.”
(Presenting gift to Joyce Gill)
“I mi just do this as wah favour, fi mek this fi you.”
The gift is a self-made prosthesis, which Chavarria fashioned during his spare time to help Joyce Gill, who lost her left leg to diabetes last year.
Orlando Chavarria
“Well before I made this foot for her I always look at people with one foot and I said to myself–I always ride past them sometime and I watch them in wheelchair and I said that I can make this. From many years ago I thought about it but this is the first person that I really try it out on.”
The artificial leg is made of fibreglass, and although it’s a bit heavy for her, Gill says it’s a priceless gift.
Joyce Gill, Prosthesis Recipient
“It means a lot to me because I want to get up and walk. I don’t want to sit all the days of my life because maybe I could move round, I could go dah shop; I could go all about where I want to be.”
Patrick Jones
“Did it take you by surprise when he came here to tell you that he had made this for you?”
Joyce Gill
“Yes, yes. It’s like a surprise to me because I never believe that somebody will bring something to me like that. It means a lot to me.”
Chavarria, who works at Cortez garage in Belize City, says it took him about a week to finish the project.
Orlando Chavarria
“So I just had to make the moulding and after I made the mould then I start to carving it out and shape it out and smoothen it off and prime it so that it can look smooth.”
And although his first creation is not perfect, Chavarria is excited about his prospects.
Orlando Chavarria
“I will have to bore some one inch holes in the feet part, in the bottom part so that it get lighter because I used too much fibreglass in the bottom. But it’s my first time, but after the first foot I can make my adjustments in the second one and you never know, maybe the second one and third one will be much better and much lighter.”
Patrick Jones for News 5.
