‘Limb-different’ children work out at Fort Myers camp

FORT MYERS, Fla.- More than a dozen unique children worked out New Year’s Day, gaining strength, balance, speed and confidence at a camp in south Fort Myers.

They are limb-different, meaning they were born without or lost their hands, arms, or legs.

“This makes it so that I can play against people, and it’s fun,” said Shan Ramos, 8, of Corpus Christi, Texas. His family brought him to the two-day camp, organized by the non-profit NubAbility Athletic Foundation.

Sam Kuhnert, the organization’s founder, was born with one hand but played high school and college sports.

“The kids come in here and they have their hands in their pockets, they are shy, don’t want anyone to see their hand,” he said. “After a while, the hands are out and they are moving around and they are accepting themselves as they are, and just loving it.”

Kuhnert’s description accurately matched Tina Tillman’s son.

“He tends to do that, put his hand in his pocket to hide it,” said Tillman, who lives in Fort Myers. “But here it is out, and they are jumping around, and it’s good to see him smile and enjoy. That is worth the world to us.”

The camp continues until Saturday at Century Link Park in south Fort Myers. The Minnesota Twins are opening Hammond Stadium to allow campers to play baseball and softball, as well as use nearby practice fields for soccer.

Any limb-different child interested in participating should check in at 8:30 a.m. There is a fee to participate.