'The Pain Is Worth It': 12-Year-Old Boy From Puerto Rico Set To Receive New Prosthetic Leg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A family from Puerto Rico who avoided Hurricane Maria are concerned about what remains as they prepare to head home.
From a young age, 12-year-old Luiz Chiclana has loved basketball.
And he's good at making baskets, unhindered by the fact that, right now, he has just one leg to stand on.
"Don't ever give up," he said. "The pain is worth it."
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Luiz knows, because he was born without a femur and fibula. Doctors at Shriners later amputated above the knee, then fitted him for a prosthetic leg, which must be replaced as he grows.
"He is a champion," said Luiz's father, Angel Chiclana, in Spanish.
Soon, Luiz will receive a new prosthetic leg.
But the family has an added worry: their native Puerto Rico is still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria.
The family has been visiting back and forth for more than 10 years and staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Camden, a place they call a second home.
"The sacrifices don't matter because we are looking at tomorrow for him," Angel said through a translator.
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While the three arrived in Camden for treatment before the storm hit, their family on the island is still dealing with limited electricity, water, and food.
They plan to pack the necessities they can fit for their return.
But they believe like in Luiz's favorite sport, when there are setbacks and losses, you regroup and rebuild better and stronger than before.
Luiz is expected to receive a new prosthetic leg by the end of the month.