Amy Purdy

Amy Purdy was born in Las Vegas.

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At the age of 19, she contracted Neisseria meningitis, a form of bacterical meningitis.

Related Topics:
Neisseria meningitis - Meningitis

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Due to the disease, which affected her circulatory system, both of her legs had to be amputated below the knee.

Related Topics:
Circulatory system - Amputated

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Her spleen and a kidney had to be removed. Two years later, she received a kidney transplant from her father.

Related Topics:
Spleen - Kidney - Transplant

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Purdy began snowboarding seven months after she received her leg prostethics. About a year after her legs were amputated,

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she came in third place in a snowboarding competition in Mammoth. Subsequently, she received a grant from the

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Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), a non-profit organisation.

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Through this grant, she was able to to compete in several snowboarding competitions in the U.S.

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In 2003, Purdy was recruited by the CAF as spokesperson. She moved to San Diego to be closer to the CAF headquarters.

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In San Diego, she continued her pre-amputee profession as a massage therapist.

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She also got involved in the modeling and acting industry.

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In February of 2003, she played a model in a Madonna music video.

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Later in 2003, Purdy started working for Freedom Innovations, a prostethic feet manufacturer,

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as Amputee Advocate.

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In 2005, Purdy made her film debut in What's Buggin Seth, a movie by Eli Steele.

Related Topics:
What's Buggin Seth - Eli Steele

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