Article by Jessica Renstrom | Photos by Arianna Skoog

“It’s so helpful to talk with someone who has had the experience of losing a limb. Because I’ve been there, I know what it’s like.” - Karsyn Hornby 

We all know that life can change in an instant, but few are truly prepared for what that means. Andrew Walker and Karsyn Hornby have both endured life-altering losses. But when the unthinkable happened, neither of them gave up – they got to work. With the help of Caleb Rogers at Alpine Medical Prosthetics & Orthotics, they’ve not only reclaimed their mobility but also found ways to connect with others facing similar challenges.

Their paths to amputation are vastly different: Andrew’s came suddenly after a near-fatal infection, while Karsyn’s followed a devastating accident as a teenager. But both refused to let their injuries define their futures. Instead, they’ve committed themselves to rebuilding active, fulfilling lives, and using their experiences to support others.

 “Community helped me fight through the darkness, and now I want to pay it forward, it’s about creating community and promoting hope.” 

- Andrew Walker

A LIFETIME OF ADAPTATION

Karsyn Hornby has been living with limb loss for 17 years. Her amputation followed a traumatic accident at 13, just before high school. “It was a crushing injury. They couldn’t save it,” she recalls.

Although she physically adapted and learned to walk again within a year, the mental toll lasted longer. “The mental part is the hardest. I wasn’t healthy at first,” she says. Support from her family and a life coach helped her emerge stronger, turning her pain into purpose.

Karysn began working in a gym during high school and became a personal trainer. “I loved fitness and challenging myself in a unique way. I was constantly asking, ‘How can I do this in an adaptive way?’” That philosophy encouraged her to pursue hiking, cycling, skiing, yoga, and even Orange Theory classes, all on a prosthetic leg.

But it wasn’t always smooth. Early prosthetics caused frequent falls and painful skin breakdowns. Then she met Caleb Rogers, and everything changed. “Caleb introduced me to liners and sockets that actually fit me. It was a whole new standard of care. No blisters after an 11-mile hike? That was life-changing.”

Now a health and wellness coach for the VA, Hornby works with clients across Montana and often connects with new amputees.

Currently pregnant with her second child, Karsyn remains active daily. “I love to maximize everyday life, and really embrace it. After having been so close to death, I’m so grateful for time with my kid (soon to be ‘kids!’).”

Photo Courtesy of Andrew Walker

A CHRISTMAS TURNED CRISIS

For Andrew Walker, everything changed on Christmas Eve. “I was perfectly healthy, very active, lifting weights, chasing my kids,” says Andrew. But by the next day, he was septic and unconscious, intubated in the ER. “Everything in my body just fully shut down.”

On December 26th, his right leg was amputated. When he finally woke from a coma on January 9th, he couldn’t speak and had no idea what had happened. But once he grasped his new reality, Andrew didn’t hesitate to start moving forward.

Fortunately, he and his wife already knew Caleb Rogers from working alongside him in therapy. “We knew how talented he was because he would help our patients. I knew I wanted him to help me. I asked Caleb to come meet me in the hospital, where I told him, ‘I have three kids. I need to get going.’”

Caleb fitted Andrew with a microprocessor knee, helping him progress from falling every few steps to walking, and now training to run again.

“I want to do a 5K with a running blade, and I’m applying for a grant through Amputee Blade Runners.” In addition to finishing his first Heart & Sole Race this summer, Andrew recently carried his 4-year-old on his shoulders for a quarter mile and is getting back to playing soccer with his kids, among many goals in a future he refuses to slow down for.

“I don’t accept a reality where I can’t run anymore or carry my kids,” Andrew says. “That’s just not who I am.”

Andrew has returned to work recently after co-founding a local amputee support group at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Montana.

THE MAN BEHIND THE MOBILITY

Both Karsyn and Andrew are quick to credit Caleb not just for their mobility, but also for the confidence and clarity that enable them to move forward.

For Karsyn, working with Caleb for the past eight years has been nothing short of transformative: “He changed my life – not just physically, but my confidence, too.”

“I consider him a friend,” Andrew says. “He’s so patient with me. He’s so good with helping me understand the process and how long it will take to get where I want to be.”

And Caleb? He views his work as a means to help people regain their independence. “Prosthetics and orthotics are a tangible representation of freedom to me,” explains Caleb. “Creating a device for someone that makes them more capable, more free, is a wonderful thing, and I’m thankful that I get to do that.”

GIVING BACK AND MOVING FORWARD

Both Karsyn and Andrew share a core belief: that their stories can help others navigate the same terrain.

In Karsyn’s words: “Physical adaptation is the easy part. The mental side is where the real strength is needed.” And it’s knowing you’re not alone, having the support of a community, that helps carry you through.

Andrew continues to build his support group and is active on social media (@ampedupwalker), where he’s connected with people from around the world. “A grandma asked me to talk to her 4-year-old grandchild who’s had an amputation,” he says. “That’s what it’s about.”

For both of them, the journey doesn’t stop with recovery. They’re running toward a future where no one has to face limb loss alone.

 For more information  on local amputee support, please contact the Rehabilitation Hospital of Montana or reach out to Andrew Walker on Instagram (@ampedupwalker)

Originally printed in the August 2025 issue of Simply Local Magazine

Check this article out in the digital issue of Simply Local here!

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