TAMPA, Fla. — A Bay area retired military veteran is turning his passion into his profession. This all started as a passion project for Earl Brown, helping his son and other athletes with disabilities compete at the highest level using his designs for prosthetics and adaptive equipment.

What You Need To Know

Earl Brown is graduating from the International Institute of Orthotics and Prosthetics in Tampa

With financial help from the Pat Tilman Foundation, he was able to pursue his dream of impacting others thanks to a scholarship
Brown says his son is his inspiration

Now, Brown is graduating from the International Institute of Orthotics and Prosthetics in Tampa and is planning to help even more people.

Starting with his son, making him a custom brace.

“This is pretty neat,” he said. “I built his first one a couple weeks back when I was in clinical rotation, and we took him to the beach over Thanksgiving weekend, and he was able to walk across the sand without somebody carrying him or helping him. And it’s because he has that support, and he said, ‘It’s because of my brace, dad,’ and I broke down crying.”

Brown said he retired three years ago after serving 27 years in the U.S. military. When he tried to figure out what’s next when it comes to a career, he didn’t have to look far.

“My son is my why. He was born having had a stroke about 20 weeks’ gestation. They didn’t think he would walk. They didn’t think he would talk,” Brown said.

With financial help from the Pat Tilman Foundation, he was able to pursue his dream of impacting others thanks to a scholarship.

“Being a veteran and having done combat tours, it’s hand and glove really, but also it’s about helping others, and I always say this, and it’s kind of cliché at this point, but I say to the one, it matters.”

After two years of training and studying, Brown can now walk us through the step-by-step process of how he made this brace that will help his son walk down the halls at school a little easier.

Brown officially graduates next Thursday. After that, he’ll start his residency program.