Toddler with rare disorder takes 1st steps (and how you can help!)

ByJim Dolan and Web produced by Jennifer Matarese WABC logo
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Toddler inspires hundreds of thousands with first steps
Jim Dolan reports from Hackensack.

HACKENSACK, N.J. (WABC) -- A 2-year-old boy who was born with a rare disorder and facing enormous obstacles will inspire you.

With legs that aren't his, but with a huge spirit that is, he took his first steps.

His big sister wants to help, but 2-year-old Kayden Kinkle doesn't need a lot of help right now, and he'll make sure you know.

"I got it, I got it," Kayden said in a now viral video.

"Nothing is going to stop him from doing what he wants to do. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes that's a bad thing," said Kevin Kinkle, Kayden's father.

Kayden was born with a severe medical condition called an ompholocele, and it resulted in the amputation of both legs. He now walks with prosthetics.

Kayden has always been an inspiration to his parents, but recently they put this video on Facebook, and, as the kids say, it blew up.

"Just to watch the numbers go so high, all the views, we were just overwhelmed. I just sat up until like 3 o'clock in the morning reading all of the comments. You know so many people were encouraged and it's just wonderful," said Nicole Kinkle, Kayden's mother.

Among those who saw the video and shared it, was Jets quarterback Michael Vick. He wrote a note that repeated Kayden's signature line from the video, "I got it".

"Just seeing him share it was wonderful, the encouragement that other people were getting from my son was just amazing," Kevin Kinkle said.

For the family there have been so many difficult moments over the last two years. There were so many operations in the hospital and so much time spent in ICU, but there has been one thing that they have had none of and that is doubt.

"Whatever he wants to do or whatever goals and ambitions that he has, whatever he wants to do, I believe nothing can stop him as you can see in the video," Kevin Kinkle said.

The family is deeply in debt because of all the medical costs, both parents work full time, but it's not enough.

They're holding a fundraiser to help with the costs, but mostly they're enjoying how Kayden's determination is helping others. They reached their $50,000 goal early Thursday.

"If you could do that for one person it's just such a big accomplishment, but for my son to be able to do that for a whole bunch of people it's really great, really humbling," Kevin Kinkle said.

If you would like to help, please visit: GoFundMe.com/SteppinOutOnFaith