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2 Years After Double Arm Transplant, Boston Man Is Thriving

Five years ago, when he was 37 years old, the unthinkable happened to Will Lautzenheiser. He lost both arms and both legs to a devastating bacterial infection.

But then two years ago, Lautzenheiser got what he calls an incredible gift: a double arm transplant.

Those two years have been full of daily hospital visits, and hours and hours of hard, tedious work, to get the arms working. But now, Will can turn a doorknob, feed himself, write with a pen and feel the rain on his hands.

Here & Now‘s Robin Young visits Will, and his partner Angel Gonzalez, at their home in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Will Lautzenheiser and his partner Angel Gonzalez at their home in Brookline, Mass. (Samantha Fields/Here & Now)
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Will Lautzenheiser and his partner Angel Gonzalez at their home in Brookline, Mass. (Samantha Fields/Here & Now)
One of Will Lautzenheiser's transplanted arms. (Robin Young/Here & Now)
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One of Will Lautzenheiser's transplanted arms. (Robin Young/Here & Now)

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.