Man searching for prosthetic leg owner after finding it on NC highway
A North Carolina man is working hard to reunite a prosthetic leg with its rightful owner after he found it on the highway last month.
William Baker, of McDowell County, found the lower right leg prosthetic while driving on U.S. 221 near Marion on March 11, WLOS reports.
Baker, who is also an amputee, lost his leg in a motorcycle accident 16 years ago. He understands the process of getting a new prosthetic and how frustrating it can be to use crutches.
ALSO READ: Dive team recovers Michigan man’s $80K prosthetic leg from bottom of lake
“It can be debilitating,” Baker told WLOS, “It makes you give up.”
Baker has also taken to social media in an attempt to find the owner. By Wednesday, he only had one solid lead: One user reported seeing a man without a leg on a moped in the same area.
Baker explained to WLOS that if the prosthetic belongs to the moped driver, it most likely fell off while he was riding.
“If he strapped it to the back of his moped, he probably didn’t realize where he had lost it,” Baker said. “He latches it and unlocks it with [a pin], so probably when he’s riding his moped, he was afraid of bumping [the pin], and it would come off.”
Each prosthetic limb is labeled with a reference number, which is entered into a large database. Baker would have to find a person with access to that database who could look up the number and find the owner.
ALSO READ: Charlotte students create prosthesis for teacher’s 3-legged golden retriever
“It’s got a name on it somewhere, paperwork -- it’s in a computer somewhere,” Baker said.
Baker told WLOS that he can also find some humor and irony in the situation. He said he’s started making jokes like “this guy only has one leg to stand on.” He says there isn’t a three-legged joke he hasn’t heard, but right now, he’s focused on finding the owner and doesn’t have time for jokes.
“Everybody wants to be funny but I don’t got time for it,” Baker said. “I’m just trying to help someone out.”
Baker estimates the prosthetic is worth $25,000, but explained that no one can put a price on the freedom prosthetics give amputees.
“Once you get used to it, there’s nothing that can stop you,” Baker told WLOS. “You just feel like you can do a whole lot more, not depressed all the time, makes a big difference.”
(WATCH BELOW: Charlotte students create prosthesis for teacher’s 3-legged golden retriever)
