Owner Richard Grope’s Story

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One day, while working in a large machine shop, my

world seemed to instantly crumble. A 3,000-pound

piece of steel fell on my foot. Suddenly, a baseball

tryout didn’t seem to matter much.

I was now fighting to save my leg.  For the next three

years, I experienced 6 surgeries and an amazing

amount of pain in what would be a vain attempt at

what I considered at the time, to remain whole.

My right leg was amputated in 1978 at the age of 24.

 

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Within a few months after my amputation, I was playing

baseball again. In fact, I discovered that my life was

going on. I had to make a choice either to live my life

normally or to be looked upon as a handicapped

individual who needed help and expected pity from the

rest of the world. I chose to live as if nothing ever happened.

I went to school for Accounting. I very quickly decided that

wasn’t for me and switched my major to Architecture.

During my studies, I was often asked to speak to both individuals and groups about how I dealt with the injury

and eventual amputation. It was at this point I was asked

to consider a career in Prosthetics. I said no for the next

5 years thinking there was something else that was

perfectly suited for me. I still continued to speak about

life with a prosthesis and felt good whenever I helped

someone who was about to go through what I experienced. Finally, after 5 years of talking with individuals and speaking to groups, I decided it was time to make this a career, and the trip eventually led to the founding of Western Reserve O&P.

Richard L. Grope — LPO

New York University Postgraduate Medical School · Shelby State Prosthetics School in Memphis, Tennessee

Licensed In the State Of Ohio

Certified In the States Of Pennsylvania & West Virginia By the American Board for Certification For Prosthetics & Orthotic Care

American Board Of Certification (ABC)

Member Of the National & State Bodies Of the American Academy Of Orthotics & Prosthetics

Board Of Orthotic Certification (BOC)

Certified In Ohio, Pennsylvania & West Virginia

Owner & President, Western Reserve Orthotics & Prosthetics Inc.
Licensed & Certified Prosthetist & Orthotist

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Stephen J. Pollak — CPO/LPO

BS, Orthotics-Prosthetics, University of Texas · Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

BS, Engineering, US Naval Academy of Annapolis, Maryland
Commander, US Navy (retired)
FAA Certificated Pilot

American Board of Certification (ABC)

Licensed & Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist

Sean Kratzer — Licensed Orthotist (LO)

Certified in Cranial products from Orthoamerica.
Bachelor degree from Youngstown State University for Pre Med with minors in Sports Medicine, Chemistry and Psychology.

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Kim Grope — Public Relations, Customer Service

ITT Technical School, Youngstown Ohio
Accounting & Computer Science

Vice President, Western Reserve Orthotics & Prosthetics I

Robert D. Paul — LPED/CPOA

Robert M. Palmer School of Biomechanics in Elwood, Indiana
American Board of Certification (ABC)

Licensed Pedorthist, Certified Prosthetist Orthotist Assistant, O&P Technician