Ecuadorian takes first steps after 34 years

It was the long-awaited climax in the journey of a humble man.

Victor Penafiel took his first steps Thursday after being bound to a wheelchair for more than 34 years.

In 1972, Penafiel, then 11, fell from a train and was caught inside the metal wheels. The accident did extensive damage to his lower body and doctors had to amputate both his legs. They also had to amputate his left arm at his elbow because he'd reached for his legs as they were wedged between the wheels of the train. His right arm was all he had.

On June 4, however, Penafiel came to Utah from his native Ecuador after learning that a donated pair of artificial legs awaited him. The Compassion Society of the Americas, under the direction of Marcelo Espinel, Thayne and Tina Bailey, and Dr. Michael and Leslie Callahan provided medical assistance and airfare. He and his wife, Mercedes, have been staying in American Fork with Ann and Clyne Long, who they met while the Longs were on a mission for the LDS Church in 2001.

But a misunderstanding left Penafiel with donated feet instead of legs, and $32,000 short of funding, which had to be raised before his visa expired on July 24. With the help of generous donors including a Utah County philanthropist, though, Penafiel got his new legs. He's focusing on the legs for now, and hopes to get a prosthetic left arm at a later date.

On Thursday, with the help of two prosthetists and a 3-foot bar, Penafiel was able to walk about 30 steps at Fit-well Prosthetic and Orthotic Center.

"So much emotion," Penafiel said as he took his first step. "I want to cry, but the emotion I have inside of me is so overwhelming that it doesn't know if it wants to cry or not."

Mercedes, his wife of 14 years, cried silently, watching her husband finish his first walk.

"I am so happy because I feel that God has blessed us too much," she said. "I know things are going to be easier for us now."

The prosthetic legs aren't the run-of-the-mill kind. Because he has no leg muscle, they had to be a lighter version of the originals, weighing 5 to 8 pounds each.

According to Tim Bachman, certified prosthetist, it may take Penafiel a year before he can walk on his own.

"Walking for him took 10 times the effort compared to us," Bachman said.

Through extensive therapy, though, Penafiel will be stand up to 5 feet 5 inches tall with his prosthetics, which last from one to three years.

As far as what is his ideal height, Penafiel said he did not care "as long as he was a little taller than his wife." Based on arm and body measurements, Penafiel would have been 6 feet 4 inches tall.

Penafiel said he's excited to see his children.

They "will be excited to play and run with me," said Penafiel, father of Victor Jr., 12, and Fania, 11.

"They are going to be really excited because now I can be a player instead of a referee," Penafiel said, referring to his soccer hobby.

Though Penafiel got his limbs, and was originally short of funds, there's now a little money left over. The fund, originated by America First Credit Union, gained so much momentum from residents that now enough funds have been transferred for therapy and rehabilitation at Fit-well, which is expected to take three to six months if he can get a visa extension.

The major contributor was Hal Wing, founder of the Little Giant Ladder, who was so touched by Penafiel's story he made a $20,000 donation.

"He empowered me because of his attitude and his determination to live," Wing said. "He has taken what God left him with and made something out of it."

The Victor Penafiel Prosthetic Fund is still accepting donations, hoping to receive enough for a visa extension. Checks can be sent to America First Credit Union at P.O. Box 9199 Ogden, UT 84409. America First members can use Web Access to transfer money into Victor's account through www.americafirst.com.

Donations also can be made at Corporation Fitness Wellness Centers, a nonprofit group set up by Fit-well to collect tax-deductible donations. Checks can be sent to Corporation Fitness Wellness Centers at 50 S. 900 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84102.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.