Reno Rodeo Foundation
Press Release

Reno Rodeo Wish Recipient -10 year old boy receives new prosthetic aqua legs

Steve Schroeder, Synergy Communications (775) 825-2665
www.renorodeofoundation.org

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, June 25, 2008

In 2003, the Reno Rodeo Foundation established the Rodeo Wish program to identify and assist young people in northern Nevada who have unique and extraordinary medical needs wherein their short-term and long-term quality of life can be enhanced through the granting of a wish. 

We are pleased to recognize 10 year old Jonah Vandever as the 2008 recipient.

Jonah Vandever was born with severe physical deformities.  He had no forehead, his hands were webbed and his legs were bent backward such that his clubbed feet rested slightly below his chin.  Steffini Vandever, Jonah’s mom, was told to wrap him in a blanket and love him until he died.  The experts gave him 6 months.

Ten years later, you would never guess that Jonah’s arrival into this world was so tumultuous.  A delightful young man who is in the fourth grade at Rollan Melton Elementary School in Reno, Jonah has a heart of gold and legs of steel.  Jonah’s twisted legs were amputated right above the knee when he was just 18 months old.  With the help of two state-of-the-art prosthetic legs, Jonah walks, runs, and is quite a skier.  In fact, each winter he travels to Breckenridge, Colorado to participate in the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project, where he mentors United States Military Veteran’s returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who have lost limbs in combat.  Equipped with special ski legs, Jonah demonstrates for the soldiers how to tackle the daunting slopes of the famous Colorado Rockies. 

Although Jonah has special legs for walking, running and skiing, there is one pair of legs he needed that were just outside his family’s reach.  Jonah’s wish is to have a pair of Aqua-Legs.  Jonah’s wish was fulfilled by the Reno Rodeo Foundation this spring, thanks to local Certified Prosthetist, Rick Riley.  Jonah will now be able to bathe independently and enjoy water sports.

The Reno Rodeo Foundation will present Jonah to the fans at the Reno Rodeo tonight, Wednesday, during the rodeo performance. Jonah will be riding into the rodeo arena on horseback.

As the 2008 Rodeo Wish recipient, Jonah will have many opportunities to enjoy being a cowboy, including riding into the arena during the 2008 Reno Rodeo. He will also be an honored guest at Perry Di Loreto's gala dinner for the Reno Rodeo Invitational Team Roping.