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AMP’D UP: She Gave Up Her Legs. Not Her Life.

November 4, 2026

One woman’s extraordinary fight to live on her own terms.  Judy Berna, reclaiming her life in the smallest moments.  By Rick Bontkowski One of the remarkable things about writing is that you never really know where your words will land. You toss a story into the universe, hope someone besides your mother reads it, and occasionally something wonderful happens. A stranger writes back. A conversation begins. And suddenly, two people who

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AMP’D UP: Four Missing Limbs. One Whole Person 

October 1, 2026

Real representation begins when we stop seeing the disability and start seeing the person. – Photography: Oxford Mail.  By Rick Bontkowski Have you heard about Charlotte Nott? She’s 18 years old, a quadruple amputee, and one of the newest housemates on the UK version of Big Brother. Think about that for a second. A young woman missing four limbs has been dropped into one of the most mainstream social experiments on

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AMP’D UP: The Healer Who Had to Learn How to Heal 

September 2, 2026

Dr. David Hausmann: When control disappeared, healing became an act of trust.  By Rick BontkowskiDr. David Hausmann understood control.  A successful medical professional and finely tuned athlete, David had spent years building a life around discipline. He understood the body. He trained his own relentlessly. Career, health, fitness, purpose – these were things he pursued with intention.  Life was good. And then, almost without warning, control disappeared.  A devastating flesh-eating bacterial infection

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AMP’D UP: The Quiet Heroes 

August 16, 2026

I first met Rex at the Amputee Coalition National Conference. Today, I’m proud to call him a friend and fellow advocate.    By Rick Bontkowski Every year, thousands of amputees gather at the Amputee Coalition National Conference. It’s a place filled with remarkable stories, incredible technology, and people proving every day that life after limb loss is anything but limited.  It was there that I met Rex Ellebracht. At first glance, Rex didn’t demand attention. He wasn’t standing on a

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AMP’D UP: Rewriting the Story 

July 2, 2026

Dr. Jokima Hiller with Sabrina, the superhero she created from her own journey of limb loss.    By Rick Bontkowski Somewhere along the way, a prosthetic leg became a superhero.  That sentence sounds impossible until you meet Dr. Jokima Hiller. Today, Sabrina lives inside the pages of two children’s books, Sabrina and Her New Shoe and Sabrina, The ShoeperHero. Young readers see an adventurous character overcoming obstacles with courage and curiosity. What

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AMP’D UP: Finding Solid Footing After Everything Fell Apart 

May 31, 2026

Katy Grainger’s journey through sepsis, limb loss, survival, and rebuilding a life with purpose.  By Rick Bontkowski Katy Grainger remembers waking up alone on the floor of her Hawaii home unable to understand why her body was shutting down. The room was dark. Her body ached. She struggled to piece together where she was and how she got there. Just hours earlier, she believed she was dealing with a small infection

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AMP’D UP: A Season to Start Again  

May 7, 2026

This spring, Angelina Martinson reminds us that the joy isn’t in being perfect, it’s in being willing to try.  By Rick Bontkowski, Spring doesn’t arrive quietly. It pushes its way in, warming the air, stretching the days, and nudging all of us back outside. There’s something about this time of year that invites movement. Walks get longer, trails call louder, and for many of us, it feels like a fresh start.  But for amputees, “getting back out there” can

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AMP’D UP: Awareness Changes Everything 

April 3, 2026

Limb loss changed my body. Awareness changed my purpose.  By Rick Bontkowski The room is quiet except for the soft mechanical rhythm of a prosthetic foot meeting the floor. Step. Pause. Step again. For many amputees, that sound marks the beginning of a completely new life.  April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, and for the past several years, I’ve used this space in The Springs Magazine to highlight remarkable people in the amputee

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AMP’D UP: Why the Paralympics Matter  

March 7, 2026

Team USA’s Kevan Hueftle, proof that comeback is a decision, not a moment.  By Rick Bontkowski In early March, the world will turn its eyes to Italy as the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games open on March 6, 2026, and run through March 15. Over ten days, the best winter Para athletes on earth will compete across six sports and 79 medal events, carving speed and precision into snow, ice,

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AMP’D UP: Finding Your Voice – Gini Thomas and the Power of Advocacy 

February 9, 2026

For Gini Thomas, advocacy begins with showing up as herself and inviting others to learn, listen, and engage.  By Rick BontkowskiAdvocacy rarely begins on a stage. More often, it starts quietly, in lived experience, in unanswered questions, and in the decision to speak when silence would be easier. For Gini Thomas, advocacy has become both a responsibility and a calling.  Gini is an amputee, educator, and content creator who has

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AMP’D UP: Reimagining the Future in 2026: Viktoria Modesta & the New Shape of Possibility 

January 1, 2026

Viktoria Modesta challenges traditional ideas of beauty and ability, transforming her prosthetic into a powerful expression of identity, creativity, and the future of self-design. —photo by Propela Limited  By Rick Bontkowski, A new year invites more than resolutions; it invites reinvention. January is a moment to question old definitions and imagine what the future could look like if we stop accepting limits that were never meant to be permanent. Few artists

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AMP’D UP: The Rhythm of Reinvention 

November 28, 2025

Where technology meets soul, rhythm finds a new heartbeat—photo courtesy of Guinness World Records.  By Rick BontkowskiWhen life takes something from you, it often leaves behind a choice: to stop or to start again in a different way. For drummer Jason Barnes, that choice came after a devastating electrical accident that cost him part of his right arm. Most would have seen an ending. Jason saw an opening.  What began

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“The Nutcracker”  Courtesy of Edmond Cooper Photo Design by Rhonda Panasenko  There’s something magical about this time of year in Hot Springs! As the holiday season draws near, the Hot Springs Children’s Dance Theatre Company is hard at work preparing for its annual production of “The Nutcracker”—a beloved holiday tradition that brings

Celebrate the Season in Style 

Annie Smith and Melodi Cone of The Velvet Attic Boutique bring a Western Chic touch to fall with horse graphics, flowing maxi skirts, statement belts, and boots. Navy, taupe, and black reflect the season, while turquoise jewelry and fringe add personality.  November brings a shift in fashion as holiday gatherings,

Feast Month – November 1 – 30 

Give Our Advertisers a Taste of Your Support!  Hot Springs celebrates the Spa City’s diverse restaurant scene during Feast Month – November 1- 30, which means three things: it’s time to redeem restaurant deals, dine at your favorite spots, and vote for your favorite restaurants – from best BBQ to best

Fall Provides Perfect Weather for Hiking and Biking Our Trails 

Located just minutes from downtown Hot Springs, the Northwoods District is one of eight exciting districts in the local trail system. It features 31+ miles of trails around Bethel, Dillon, and Sanderson lakes for mountain biking, hiking, and trail running.   The Northwoods District is directly accessible from historic downtown and