Following in Her Footsteps: Adalee’s Story Gives Samuel Hope for the Future

Two-year-old Samuel from San Salvador is a blur of motion, always running and exploring every corner of Shriners Children’s Texas.

His continuous energy makes it hard to imagine the fear and uncertainty his parents felt when he was born with fibular hemimelia of his right leg.

Fibular hemimelia is a rare condition in which the fibula, the slender bone on the outside of the lower leg, is only partially formed or completely missing. This can cause leg-length differences, foot and ankle deformities, and challenges with stability and mobility. For many children, amputation and a prosthetic limb can ultimately offer the greatest long-term function and independence.

Samuel’s parents were first told of his condition at birth, a moment they describe as a profound shock. Unsure of what to do, they sought guidance from specialists in San Salvador, who recommended pursuing advanced pediatric orthopedic care abroad. Their search eventually led them to Shriners Children’s, where a virtual consultation with Janay McKie, M.D., chief of staff of orthopedics at Shriners Children’s Texas, gave them confidence that they had found the right place.

The decision to move forward with a right-foot amputation was the most difficult choice Samuel’s parents had ever faced. But something unexpected gave Samuel’s mother, Delia, the courage she needed: The story of another patient named Adalee.

Adalee, who was recently treated at Shriners Children’s Texas and featured in an online video on social media, was born with the same condition as Samuel, fibular hemimelia, but in both of her legs. Seeing Adalee run, play and smile with her two new prosthetic legs transformed Delia’s fear into hope. In Adalee, she saw a glimpse of Samuel’s future.

“I remember seeing her video, and I pictured it as if it was Samuel running up the hall,” Delia said. “She helped me a lot. Her smile and the way she ran, that was the thing that I was looking for in my son. She was my goal.”

Samuel underwent surgery to amputate his foot in December 2025. Just weeks later, he was fitted with a diagnostic prosthesis, and within two weeks he was walking independently. While his family eagerly awaits his definitive prosthesis, he continues to amaze everyone with his rapid progress and boundless energy.

“He doesn’t like to stop moving, so the only way I’ve been able to do adjustments on the fly is to hand him a wrench so he can be ‘helping’ too,” said Anna Brown, C/LPO, prosthetist at Shriners Children’s Texas. “He is running around great already!”

Since arriving at Shriners Children’s Texas, Samuel and his mother have found comfort from the clinical team and fellow families staying at the hospital, and hopeful inspiration from Adalee. Samuel’s journey is just beginning, but thanks to the powerful example of a little girl who came before him, he is moving energetically toward his mother’s vision and goal.