A 22-year-old Haitian engineering student, Ralph Mary Gedeon, who arrived in the U.S. February 18 for the surgery and treatments necessary for him to get a prosthetic leg, is now out of the hospital in a rehabilitation facility.

Brought to the United States by Scientology Volunteer Minister Ayal Lindeman, Gedeon has responded to the surgery and massive IV antibiotics, and is well on his way to a full recovery.

Gedeon was attending class at his engineering school on January 12 in Port-au-Prince when the earthquake struck and the entire school collapsed, pinning him face down under mountains of concrete. Two and a half days later when his father found him and dug him out, Gedeon’s badly broken leg was so infected even amputation would not guarantee his survival, and he was dead set against amputation as life as an amputee in Haiti is life as an outcast.

In the true spirit of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers - the "restoration of purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others" - Lindeman promised the youth that if he went through with surgery, he would see to it that he got a prosthetic leg. He then moved heaven and earth to make it happen!

After cutting through red tape, getting him a visa and arranging transportation surgery, medical care, prosthetic and physical therapy with the help of his high school friend, Dr. David Gibson, Chief of Orthopedics at the Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven, CT, Lindeman brought Gedeon to the U.S. on February 18, 2010.



Two months and several surgeries later, Gedeon is fully on the mend, determined to fully recover. He spends the time between post-op appointments learning and working out future plans with his girlfriend in Haiti.

Lindeman now wants to help him finish his education in the America. If you want to help with information about scholarship program, please contact the Volunteer Ministers Corps at vm@volunteerministers.org.