KENTWOOD, Mich. — April is Limb Loss Awareness Month, and this weekend, a 5K in Kentwood will raise money for adaptive programs.
Nicholas Deblecourt, a Western Michigan senior, is participating in the race to prove that losing a limb does not mean losing out on life.
"I'm super active outdoors. I'll fish, I'll disc golf and golf hike when I can get up and do it," Deblecourt said."It's just always been what I enjoyed. I get bored if I sit inside too long, so it's fun."
Deblecourt thought his senior year would be different from what he's faced this year, but everything changed one Friday afternoon last June.
"I was going toward the lake on I-94 and I had a seizure while I was driving. And so I obviously, you go unconscious when you have a seizure. So I veered off into a tree, hit a tree, and my car caught on fire," Deblecourt said.
WATCH: College senior who lost foot in fiery crash runs in Kentwood 5K to support limb loss awareness month.
An off-duty state trooper saw the crash and went to help.
"Busted out the windows of my car. At this point, my car was, like, nearly engulfed with flames. So this guy's like, he saved my life," Deblecourt said.
Deblecourt suffered burns to 15% of the skin on his leg. The wreck left an impact he could not have imagined.
"They decided that my right foot was not savable. So they had to amputate from there," Deblecourt said.
He lost his right foot and spent the next three months rehabilitating and learning to walk again.
"It started out like they would just sit me up on the edge of the bed, and that hurt terribly," Deblecourt said. "Then eventually they get you standing for a couple minutes, and eventually you'd hop along on a walker, and just kind of was a slow, kind of grinding progression."
He received support from Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital and his prosthetist, Julia Wright.
"He's always just said, this is what I want to do. These are my goals, and this is what we're going to do. So he's just very motivated," Wright said.
Wright fitted Deblecourt with a prosthetic, which he took for a spin right away.
"I think the first day I gave him [the prosthetic], he went disc golfing that night, and he came back the next time I saw him, and he was like, yeah, you know, I went frisbee golfing and I walked a couple miles," Wright said.
Deblecourt did not let his injury define him and went back to campus at Western Michigan when he could.
"I walked to class the next day," Deblecourt said. "No one in my classes knew I was (walking) I was like, wheelchairing the week before, and I just walked in the next day."
Now, he is using his story to inspire others and staying active in Saturday's Limb Loss 5K through the city of Kentwood and Mary Free Bed.
The city said in a statement to FOX 17:
"This Saturday, the City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department will host our 8th annual Limb Loss Awareness 5K as part of Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month each April. What started to offer a more inclusive race has grown into our largest 5K of the year, bringing together participants of all ages and ability levels. At its core, this event is about creating a space where everyone can show up, participate, and be part of the community. This race also serves as a fundraiser for our Adaptive Recreation programs, which provide opportunities for individuals of all abilities to stay active and engaged through sports, clinics, and social programming. Funds raised help us purchase adaptive equipment and keep program costs accessible so more people can participate."
That's why Nicholas chooses to run, to surround himself with others going through similar struggles.
"People with disabilities is dealing with, there's a lot, a lot worse than what I have. And just like, for anyone to just have those fun moments of life is just really cool," Deblecourt said.
Deblecourt will walk the stage next week when he graduates and hopes to inspire others to never give up.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
