MESA Ariz. — An Arizona veteran is asking for help finding his prosthetic hand.
KPHO reports that Sean Williams took a chance when he went into Walmart Monday afternoon. He left his backpack in his truck despite his better judgment.
“I knew I shouldn’t have. The windows were down. It was 1 p.m. People were walking up and down. I just thought, ‘OK, I left my backpack in my truck before,'” Williams said.
This time when he came out, his backpack was gone. A prosthetic hand given to him by Veterans Affairs was inside the backpack.
“I know theft happens every day, but it’s just kind of hard when it happens to you,” Williams said.
Williams served six years in the U.S. Army and four years in the U.S. Marines without injury.
“It was one of the best times of my life. Good friends, good times,” Williams said.
One month after Williams got out of the service, he was in a car accident that severed his right hand.
“It was torn partially down here and crushed,” Williams said.
Even though the injury didn’t happen in the line of duty, the VA provided Williams two custom-made prosthetic hands worth thousands of dollars.
“It was like the best day ever. It was like Christmas almost,” Williams said.
Williams may not need the prosthetic to perform daily tasks like cooking, but he says its gives him a feeling of normalcy.
“It kind of makes me feel like a regular man,” Williams said.
Williams wants the person who stole his hand to please give it back.
“I forgive you for stealing my stuff, but just give me back my prosthetic. I mean, it’s my hand,” Williams said.
Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to contact the Mesa Police Department at 480-644-2211, option 2.
