Kelly Kosky - AKRev. Kelly Kosky is passionate in his belief and trust in God. He felt called to minister to the tribal people of Africa and accepted a position as Director of a missionary organization. During one of his frequent trips to Africa, the world as Kelly knew it changed, and his faith was tested in a way it had never been before.
Kelly traveled by whatever means possible when in Africa. Early one morning in 2010, he and his wife, Kathy headed off on bicycles to join some friends for an early morning ride. The rest of the story is best told in Kelly’s own words.
“We were cycling single file, and as I was cresting the top of a bridge a semi-truck loaded with bricks was next to me. It began to move closer to the curb where I was cycling. I had a high curb on one side of me and a fully loaded truck with its trailer squeezing me into the curb. I am not sure what happened next, but I before I realized it my bike and I were tumbling under the trailer. My face hit the ground first, breaking five of my teeth. As I looked up I saw the double wheel coming at me. I rolled to the side and tried to scramble and crawl out of the path of the truck. I managed to get the main part of my body clear, but unfortunately my right leg didn’t get out of the way in time. The massive set of double wheels crushed my entire right leg.”
For the next 12 hours, Kelly’s doctors worked to save his life. They were unable to save his right leg, and it was amputated above the knee. He had also lost a lot of blood and his body began to shut down. Fortunately the doctors were able to stabilize him and over the next several days used skin grafts to cover the open flesh on his residual limb.
We met Kelly in the Summer of 2011 when he arrived at our southern California office to be fit with his first permanent prosthesis. Afterwards he returned to Africa and was able to continue his work with the African people, traversing rugged terrain and even walking across rivers when necessary.
His limb quickly shrunk down as he became more active, so he spent another week (in Orlando this time) to be fit with another socket before returning to his work in Africa.
Kelly’s strong faith and positive outlook on life have definitely had an impact on his recovery, but he admits he has his bad days, too. “I would be lying if I was to bravely say that it has been easy. “ says Kelly. “It has instead been a nightmare with a lot of pain, emotionally and physically. But even with only one leg I am still committed to go into the remote African villages and share the gospel with those lost in darkness. The Lord has called us to bring His hope to the hopeless and we will not abandon the Call.”
Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone. And I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives.
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