9-year-old fitted with new prosthetics after home is destroyed in California wildfires

Lilly and her family were forced to evacuate their home due to the wildfires, and returned to find it was destroyed by the flames.

 (KTVU)

Staff at the Hanger Clinic in San Francisco were able to help a 9-year-old girl regain her independence recently, after her prosthetic legs and wheelchair were destroyed by the North Bay wildfires. Lilly Biagini, who had her legs amputated at age 6 due to a joint disorder, was forced to evacuate her Santa Rosa home with her family in the middle of the night.

“I couldn’t believe fireballs were coming at us,” Biagini told KTVU. “I was super scared. I couldn’t believe how scared I was.”

An officer directed the family away from danger, but they returned to find their home and belongings destroyed by the flames.

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“Everything is gone,” Biagini said. “My wheelchair. My prosthetics. Everything. I couldn’t believe it. I seriously had no words.”

Biagini was diagnosed with arthrogryposis, which left her with stiff joints that wouldn’t bend from the waist down. She relies on her prosthetics to run track and ride horses, KTVU reported.

Her mother told the news outlet that Biagini’s prosthetics are a part of her identity. On Friday, staff at Hanger Clinic provided and fitted Biagini with new prosthetics free-of-charge.

“She’s just such a beautiful light in this world to start with, and to be able to put that smile back on her face is priceless,” Pola O’Rourke, of the Hanger Clinic, told KTVU.

Biagini, who prefers prosthetics over a wheelchair, said her confidence has returned.

“I don’t feel that confident anymore,” she said, of losing her prosthetics. “But when I got my legs, I got it back immediately. I’m super excited.” 

A GoFundMe page was started on the family’s behalf to help them recover from the loss.