Seven-year-old Abel Diemand of Grande Prairie pauses for moment of silence at the local cenotaph to commemorate the veteran members of The War Amps. Photo Credit: War Amps

By Shane Clausing

war amps

Grande Prairie boy carrying on War Amps legacy

Nov 1, 2021 | 12:23 PM

A local boy has “taken up the torch” and is participating in Operation Legacy this year.

Seven-year-old Abel Diemand of Grande Prairie recently paused for a moment of silence at the local cenotaph to commemorate the veteran members of the War Amps.

The goal of Operation Legacy is to commemorate the sacrifices of those who served and pay tribute to the war amputees who founded the CHAMP program.

CHAMP offers comprehensive services to child amputees and their families, including financial assistance, regional seminars, and peer support.

The service is for children in Canada under the age of 18, who are born with a missing limb or who may have lost a limb because of an accident or medical cause.

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Martha Diemand, Abel’s mom tells EverythingGP, Operation Legacy and the CHAMP program are both close to their family’s heart.

“It (Operation Legacy) allows for the amputees to kind of carry the torch forward for why War Amps started, especially for the CHAMP program,” she said.

“It (Operation Legacy) is helping the amputees to take a moment to remember what started the War Amps and what our men and women veterans have gone through to bring the War Amps to where it is today, to give them the opportunities that they have today.”

Some of those opportunities presented to participants of the CHAMP program include giving families financial assistance, regional seminars, and peer support.

Martha says CHAMP has been big for Abel’s development.

“Abel was born with a congenital amputation of his left hand and arm below the elbow. The War Amps has offered him a lot of opportunities… everything from meeting other amputees, to providing him with prosthetics and recreational devices that helps him play with other kids his age,” she explained.

“For him, it’s a message that hits close to our family and the experiences of the veterans of what they’ve gone through, and have, in turn, created the CHAMP’s program to give kids the opportunities he has today. It’s important for us to teach him to appreciate that.”

As Remembrance Day nears closer, Martha and the War Amps are encouraging people to help out by donating to the organization.

“These programs are directly benefited so that kids like my son are able to have prosthetics and recreational devices so they can have what they need to be able to be independent.”