
(1 x 50 minutes)
Marty Ravellette was born
without arms. He has spent his life using his
feet to perform tasks that most of us accomplish
with our hands. He eats and drinks, lights and
smokes his cigarettes, drives a van, dresses
himself, shoots pool, fishes - all with his feet!
Marty calls himself a
left-footed person. He writes with a pen, dials
the telephone, shaves, brushes his teeth, and
combs his hair with his left foot. Marty uses a
clothes hanger - held between his teeth - to zip
up his jump suit. Marty also pumps his own gas at
the gas station.
Currently, Marty owns a
landscaping business. People around town see him
mowing lawns with his push-and-riding lawnmowers,
planting trees, even cutting wood with his
chainsaw. Marty says, "My feet are my
hands." His clients say, "He's
amazing."
Marty's first wife, Jo Beth,
also has no arms. The couple raised two children
but they divorced after their 5-year old son died
in a tragic accident. Marty and his second wife,
Maree, now live in North Carolina. Between them
they have 18 grandchildren.
One of Marty's friends is an
armless guitar player - Tony Melendez - who plays
the guitar with his feet. Like Marty, having no
arms hasn't slowed him down much.
A few years ago, Marty made
international news when he kicked in a window of
a burning car and saved a woman's life.
With courage and faith, Marty
Ravelette has overcome tremendous odds to live a
life both extraordinary and inspiring.
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