AURORA—
An Aurora man who's overcome incredible adversity with uncommon grace will take part in the most-watched annual television program across the world--the Rose Bowl Parade.Manuel Salazar, 29, owns Progressive Auto Works. "We do window tint, car audio, alarms, accessories. Now, we do performance work, mechanic work, build motors," he says.
And he does it all with no arms or legs.
"It happened so fast. I remember I woke up and looked down and my body was on fire," he says.
Salazar says he was helping unload a semi truck on a South Carolina construction site, when a crane operator, picking up objects off the truck, hit a power line with the boom of the crane and sent 115,000 volts of electricity through his body.
"When the accident happened, I had both arms amputated at the shoulder. So driving a wheelchair, I had to do with a chin control."
But a Centennial company--AlloSource--which processes human tissue--gave him back some independence by giving him donor human tissue and a bone for his shoulder that extended his arm about 6-inches.
The company is one of the nation's largest providers of bone, skin and tissue used in surgical procedures.
"From our piece of donated tissue, Manuel got a much more functional lifestyle," says AlloSource CEO Tom Cycyota. "He's able to do more exciting things he does, as well as run his business."
"Just that, (extending his arm) helped me drive my wheelchair without having a joystick in my face. I can scratch my face. I can set myself up," he says.
It's a life he's filled with skiing, water tubing and hiking.
A life he's using to help others.
And on New Year's Day, he'll take his place in the Rose Bowl Parade, as part of the AlloSource float, "Donate Life."
"I met lot of amputees who've lost one arm. They want to give up. I tell them not to give up. There's so much you can do," he says.
"I was devastated with his accident. It was really hard. But for some reason, God left him here and I'm happy for that," says Salazar's mother, Noelia Benitez.
"I'm happy with my life now. Happy with what I've accomplished," says Salazar.
He says his next goal is to go skydiving this summer.
To learn more about organ and tissue donation go to donatelife.net.
