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Thornton man loses ability to walk when teens steal his leg braces from his porch

Posted at 10:12 PM, Sep 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-09-27 17:34:38-04

THORNTON, Colo. – Kevin Walls had the ability to walk stolen from him last month. He was cleaning his leg braces on his porch in the middle of the day. When he went inside, he said, two teenagers took those braces.

"As they were going by my side window the little kids laughed and said wait until Halloween," Walls said.

He believes they will use his leg braces as decorations.

“It's obvious if you look at my braces they are going to play Frankenstein," Walls said. "They're going to make a monster, hang it out of a tree or put it on the front porch.”

When he was 10, Walls was hit by a car while riding his bike, forcing him to need leg braces for the last 60-plus years. Walls has always used the same pair, adjusting the length as he grew.

He does have a backup pair, but they might as well be a decoration.

"They are kind of like a spare tire," Walls said. "They are only if I got to. With my other braces I can walk around the block 3 or 4 times. With them on I can walk about four trailers down and try to get back home.”

The spare leg braces look the same, but Walls said the extra weight causes him pain.

Walls has now become isolated, unable to leave his home. The only way out is down a set of steps, each drop designed specifically for when he's wearing his leg braces.

Walls’ wife, Sharon, has worked hard to get back what was taken, posting on social media and asking anyone she could for help.

“I don't want to press charges on anybody," Sharon Walls said. "I just want them back. You want to use them for Halloween, fine just give them back. I'll even give them 100 bucks.”


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