“My Amputation Hasn’t Stopped Me”: How One Boy’s Race Photo Sparked a Movement

By Terri Peters | Contributor | Originally published by TODAY

When JC and Kim Baltz first heard that their 6-year-old son Ben had osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer, the world around them shifted. The diagnosis meant surgery, chemotherapy, and ultimately the amputation of Ben’s leg above the knee. Like any parents, they held onto hope — not just that he’d beat the cancer, but that somehow, life after the amputation could still be joyful. Still active. Still full of meaning.

They couldn’t have imagined how far Ben would take that idea.

Nearly a decade later, Ben Baltz isn’t just surviving. He’s thriving — as an athlete, as a role model, and as a quiet force of inspiration to kids and adults alike. At just 14 years old, he’s run in over a dozen triathlons, met and bonded with a three-legged therapy pony named Molly, and has become an unofficial ambassador for amputee children across the country. But it was a single photo — captured on a rainy day in 2013 — that would carry Ben’s story far beyond the race course.

The Photo That Said Everything

The image is striking in its simplicity. A boy, rain-drenched and determined, runs with his father at his side. One of Ben’s legs is a prosthesis — the other propels him forward. That photo, taken at the Freedom Springs Triathlon just weeks before his 12th birthday, was submitted by Ben’s sister Rachel to a Runner’s World magazine cover contest. It didn’t win — because Ben was under 18 and therefore ineligible. But it didn’t need to.

The photo quickly went viral online, spreading through running communities, parenting groups, amputee networks, and beyond. It showed something that words couldn’t fully capture: grit, love, and the pure determination of a child refusing to be limited by circumstance.

“He was tired,” JC said, recalling that rainy July morning. “Swimming in the cold and biking in the rain had taken it out of him. So I ran with him just to keep him going.” What they didn’t realize was that the snapshot of that moment would end up inspiring thousands.

A Finish Line, A Marine, and a Message That Endures

For many, the image brought to mind another moment in Ben’s story — a scene from a 2012 triathlon when his prosthetic leg malfunctioned just short of the finish line. Without hesitation, a U.S. Marine — Pfc. Matt Morgan — scooped Ben up and carried him across. That photo also made headlines at the time, with many seeing it as a metaphor for community, support, and resilience.

Ben doesn’t remember that moment as dramatic. “I just wanted to finish,” he says, simply. And finish he did — then and every time after.

Reaching Others Like Him

Outside the spotlight, Ben's impact runs deeper. He and his family often visit newly diagnosed cancer patients and recent amputees, especially children. JC says those visits have become an important part of their lives — a way to offer hope in the midst of shock and confusion.

“He shows them there’s life after amputation,” JC said. “He’s not just running races. He’s showing kids they can still live fully — even with setbacks that seem impossible at first.”

A Symbol in the Spotlight — At the Right Time

Ben’s photo didn’t just catch attention for the story it told — it also sparked conversation around proposed Medicare policy changes that could drastically reduce access to high-quality prosthetics. If those policies had been in place during Ben’s treatment, JC says, his son likely wouldn’t have had the same opportunities.

“If the proposed changes had passed, that photo might not even exist,” JC said. “At least not with Ben running. Or we’d have been out nearly $100,000 to get him the kind of prosthetic that let him run like that.”

Ronnie Dickson, a prosthetist and fellow above-the-knee amputee, says those cuts would set amputee care back decades. “We’d be returning to treatments from the 1970s,” he warned. “That’s not just a step back — it’s a leap in the wrong direction.”

From Cancer to Surfing: “It Didn’t Slow Me Down”

Today, Ben is cancer-free. He’s continued to train, compete, and even surf — something he never imagined he’d do when first facing the diagnosis. He’s been through more prosthetic fittings than he can count, but each new one has been a step forward — literally.

“I never thought I’d get cancer,” Ben said. “I never thought I’d be running triathlons or doing all this stuff. But here I am — running, biking, swimming, surfing. My amputation hasn’t stopped me. It didn’t even slow me down. It just gave me obstacles — and I’ve overcome them.”

In a world that often measures strength by speed or size, Ben Baltz’s story is a reminder that true strength is something quieter — steadier. It shows up not in victory laps, but in the decision to show up. To run, even in the rain. To finish the race — even if you need help. To keep going, not because it's easy, but because you can.

And in doing so, Ben isn’t just redefining “a new normal.” He’s helping to build a better one — for every kid who looks down at their prosthetic and wonders, “Can I still be strong?”

The answer, thanks to Ben, is yes. Stronger than ever.