Middle Georgia Amputees Take the Plunge in Scuba Dive Class

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Losing a limb hasn’t stopped Cory Cochran from enjoying life, in fact, he’s are diving right in!

When he was four, Cochran was run over by a riding lawn mower, struggling for years on the wounded leg. This October, after nearly 20 years of suffering and unsuccessful surgeries, his leg was amputated. This weekend, for the first time in decades, Cochran wasn’t just swimming, he was scuba diving.

“With his outlook, I think it’s made him a stronger person,” said Cory’s mother Tammy, “I mean he’s everywhere, you can’t slow him down.”

On Sunday, amputees from across the state got a crash course in scuba diving. Orthotic and Prosthetic Activities Foundation along with Amputee Prosthetic Clinic in Macon hosted a class called “First Dive!”, an outreach program encouraging amputees to push past their handicap. This weekend, the group pushed their prosthetics aside and jumped right in.

Unlike Mauldin, 9-year-old Mei Mei White is professional when it comes to her prosthetic. The 4th grader has been an amputee her entire life.

“I was born with a little leg,” White said, “that’s how God made me, and mama likes me the way I am, and my whole family.”

For White, her biggest obstacle isn’t her disability, but making it to the deep end.