Man who lost leg uses laughter as best medicine

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - They say laughter is the best, and just by looking at Benny Coker, you know he's got a good sense of humor.

That's why when Benny looks down and sees one leg rather than two, he's not crying about it.

"Eight or nine weeks ago, we decided to whack it, amputate it," he said. "I like whack it better."

Instead, he says he's one of the lucky ones.

"Everyday, I wake up and put one-and-a-half feet on the ground," he said. "Lot of people don't get that opportunity. Well now, I just put one on the ground, so I have to change that, but a lot of people wish that they could do that."

Benny severely injured his leg at 16 in a grain machine. Just five years ago, he broke it again, and his left leg was useless, but because of legal complications with workers compensation, he couldn't get it amputated until just a couple of months ago.

Then, Benny met David of The Limb Center. Davis is also an amputee and it's a fact that Benny loved.

"He comes hobbling in on that thing and I'm like, 'There's my man!'" Benny said.

David lost his leg 15 years ago and knows the physical and emotional toll it can take.

"When you're laying there in bed after you lost your leg and you're looking down, there's only one set of toes stickin' up and you have a lot of questions," he said.

After working together for a few weeks, the two became close and today, Benny received his first prosthetic.

"Very robust and durable, went with his lifestyle, he need something like this," David said. "I mean, Benny's an animal."

Even though it will take some time adjusting and getting used to, Benny is no stranger to overcoming obstacles.

"I was 16 years old when this happened, so I could sit around and say, 'Well, I can't do anything,'" he said. "I've bungee jumped, I've parasailed, all kinds of cool stuff."

Benny encourages others to laugh it off and never give up.

"You can either sit around and say whoa is me and feel sorry for yourself, or you can get off your butt and go see what you can do," he said.