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Linfoot will help open ball hockey season

Association to honour mom who suffered amputations
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(Neil Corbett/THE NEWS) Danielle Linfoot is adapting to a new life with the support of her husband Shawn, daughter McKenna and son Brody (not pictured), as well as people from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.

Danielle Linfoot is slowly adjusting to her new life, and the support from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows keeps coming.

Linfoot, a mother of two who used to run a family daycare in Pitt Meadows, had amputations to all four limbs a year ago.

She will be the guest of honour as the Ridge Meadows Minor Ball Hockey Association hosts its 15th annual Opening Night celebrations on April 20, and will drop the ball for the opening face-off.

Linfoot survived an attack of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. A strep infection entered her blood stream in January of 2017, but the damage to her tissues was traumatic, and both hands and feet were taken in amputations by the end of April last year.

She got home in time for last Christmas, and her husband Shawn Evans talked about how their life is being rebuilt.

She is going to be getting a micro-processor leg, which he explains is a “smart leg” that will make her safer from falls than standard prosthetics. It also carries a price tag of $56,000, and not all of that will be covered by Pharmacare.

For now, she is walking using a walker and prosthetic legs, which Evans described as “a peg leg with a foot on it.”

Linfoot is also using a hook for a hand, but the family is hoping that the funds they have received from the community can purchase a $30,000 prosthetic.

Shawn has been seeing to renovations of their home, and an elevator has been added to the outside. Linfoot had been confined to a basement suite, but she can now get in the lift and go up to the deck, which has been reinforced, and then enter the upstairs kitchen and living room area in her wheelchair.

“It’s opened up a whole new freedom for her,” said Shawn.

The elevator cost $25,000, but the repairs and modifications to their home were generously donated by Belfor Restoration of Chilliwack, including all the concrete and electrical work necessary.

“They had 20 people here – volunteers,” said Shawn.

It helps take the financial burden off the family, and so has a gofundme.com page that has raised over $98,000 of a $150,000 goal.

As for her rehabilitation, Linfoot attends occupational therapy at Eagle Ridge Physio three days per week.

“We’re focused on getting her walking right now. That’ll give her more independence.”

Next Friday’s face-off is something Linfoot is looking forward to.

“She’s the ball hockey association’s guest. She’s excited about it,” said Shawn.

Their son Brody, 14, is in his sixth year of ball hockey, and Shawn said after trying everything from soccer to bowling, it is one of the sports he really loves. He was team captain last year.

“They’ve been great,” Shawn said of the association. “They did a fundraiser for us, and sponsored all of his gear.”

The association raffled off a free registration and ball hockey gear, and the winner donated it to the Evans-Linfoot family.

Trevor Elliot, vice-president of the association, said they wanted to support the family.

“The Linfoot family has been part of our association for years,” said Elliot. “She will be our honoured guest, and do the ball drop.”

Opening night is a long tradition, and will feature two junior games, a paper toss and other fundraisers, and is intended to be a night of appreciation for the families of the sport.



Neil Corbett

About the Author: Neil Corbett

I have been a journalist for more than 30 years, the past decade with the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News.
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