BELLEVILLE, Ill. (KMOX) - The bad news is that 3-year-old Josiah's prosthetic leg has not been returned since it was stolen last Thursday. But the good news is that the family may soon have a replacement.
The Belleville family has been searching and asking for help since the leg, which was inside a backpack that was taken from Brie Rainey's car in the parking lot of her apartment complex.
One man from Shriners called the family personally to express just how much he wanted to help her family. Shriners in St. Louis is one of network of 22 shrine centers nation-wide which gives care to children and their family, whether or not they are able to pay for the treatment.
The company in Nashville, Tenn. is interested in building a new "blade" prosthetic leg for Josiah, free of charge.
A GoFundMe page was set up to pay for her son's custom wheelchair and has raised nearly $4,000, easily eclipsing the $3,000 goal.
The boys grandmother, Karen Stephens posted about the update on Facebook:
"Our family continues to be humbled by the generosity of strangers, friends and loved ones. We thank you from the depths of our hearts that you love us enough to care and be his hands and feet."
"As of this morning, no sign of the backpack but now several companies plus Shiners have more then generously offered to replace the prosthetic leg. We are grateful beyond words."
Stephens says the leg has a yellow hip area with cartoon minions on it and the foot is wearing a red tennis shoe. It was inside a child-size black backpack.
The mother's driver's license and credit card were found on the side of a road near the family's home and her debit card was dinged for a purchase at the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center MetroLink station. Stephens says they're working with Metro to find out if the person was in possession of the backpack when that purchase was made.
If anyone has information on the stolen leg they're asked to called Stephens at +16186042814 or call the Belleville Police Department.
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