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INCREDIBLE STORY.
POPPY, WHAT HAPPENED HERE?
>> IT IS AMAZING, JUST LIKE SHE
DID EVERY YEAR ON APRIL 15th,
HEATHER ABBOTT WENT TO THE RED
SOX GAME AND THEN WENT ON TO
CHEER THE RUNNERS IN THE BOTHEN
MARATHON, BUT SHE WAS ONE OF THE
VICTIMS OF THE ATTACK.
TODAY SHE IS A STRONG SURVIVOR.
SHE HAD TO HAVE PART OF HER LEFT
LEG AMPUTATED, BUT THE PROGRESS
IS STUNNING, AND YOU JUST HAVE
TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT.
>> I DIDN'T LOOK AT IT AT ALL
FROM, YOU KNOW, THE MOMENT THAT
IT HAPPENED.
>> Reporter: HEATHER ABBOTT IS
TALKING ABOUT HER LEFT LEG,
AMPUTATED AFTER THE BOSTON
BOMBING PRESIDENT SHE WANTED TO
REMEMBER IT THE WAY IT WAS,
BEFORE.
YOU CALL YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL
HEEL WEARER?
>> I THINK I DID.
>> Reporter: AND TODAY SHE IS
AGAIN, WALKING ON 4-INCH
STILETTOS ON HER PROSTHETIC LEG.
NOTHING SHORT OF MIRACULOUS.
TAKE A CLOSE LOOK.
CAN YOU TELL WHICH ONE IS
MANMADE?
>> I WITH GO OUT IN PUBLIC WITH
PART OF MY LEG EXPOSED, NOTHING
IS STARING AT IT, BECAUSE THEY
CAN'T TELL YOU.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE THERE'S
SHAVING MARKS WHERE SOMEBODY
WOULD HAVE SHAVED.
>> Reporter: THE COSMETIC COLOR
COLOR MATCHED DOWN TO THE
FRECKLES AND CREASES ON HER
HEEL.
SHE HAS FOUR PROSTHETIC LEGS.
>> THIS IS MY WATERPROOF LEG.
I WEAR THIS ONE IN THE SHOWER.
>> Reporter: THIS ONE FOR
RUNNING, ANOTHER FOR FLATS,
ANOTHER FOR HIGH HEELS.
>> I FEEL LIKE MY OLD SELF.
>> Reporter: SHE HAD NO IDEA SHE
WOULD GET THIS FAR UNTIL HER
ADVOCATE WALKED IN.
>> SHE WALKED IN WITH HIGH HEELS
AND SKINNY JEANS, AND I COULDN'T
TELL WHICH LEG WAS REAL AND
WHICH WASN'T.
IT HELPED ME THINK, OKAY, I'M
GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
>> Reporter: THE PRIORITY IS HOW
AM I GOING TO WALK?
BEYOND THAT IS SORT OF A FEMALE
RITE OF PASSAGE.
HOW DO I FEEL SEXY?
HOW DO I WEAR A BATHING SUIT?
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL VERY
NORMAL QUESTIONS.
>> Reporter: IT FEELS LIKE SKIN.
>> SOME OF THE MOST COSMETIC
CONCERNS, I WASN'T AS VOCAL
ABOUT, BECAUSE THEY SEEMED SORT
OF INSIGNIFICANT AT THE TIME.
>> Reporter: WERE YOU SORT OF
EMBARRASSED TO ASK?
>> YES.
ASKING IF I COULD WEAR A DRESS
AGAIN DIDN'T SEEM LIKE AN
APPROPRIATE QUESTION.
>> Reporter: BUT IT IS, AND
HERE'S WHY.
>> FOR HEATHER, HAVING A HIGHLY
COALS MET SICK COVER THAT
MATCHES HER REMAINING LEG WAS
ESSENTIAL TO HER RECOVERY.
SHE IS NOW ABLE, AND HAS THE
CONFIDENT.
THIS ISN'T THE NORM, THOUGH, FOR
MOST AMPUTEES.
NOT BY A LONG SHOT, WITH HIGHLY
PROSTHETICS NOT COVERED BY
INSURANCE.
FOR HEATHER IT WAS A COMBINATION
OF INSURANCE AND DONATIONS.
DO YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO HAVE A LIMB LIKE THIS
AND COVERED BY INSURANCE?
>> YEAH, I DO.
IF I COULDN'T HAVE A LEG THAT
LOOK LIKE MY OWN, I DON'T KNOW
THAT I WOULD HAVE RECOVERED AS
WELL.
IT'S UPSETTING TO ME THAT THERE
ARE OTHER MEN AND WOMEN OUT
THERE THAT AREN'T ABLE TO HAVE A
LEG THAT LOOKS LIKE THEIR OWN
LEG, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.
>> Reporter: JUST TO GIVE YOU
SOME PERSPECTIVE HERE, WOLF, THE
FOUR PROSTHETICS THAT SHE HAS,
SHE ESTIMATES THE COST TOGETHER
ABOUT $200,000.
SHE'S GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE
THEM EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE
SCOPE OF THE PRICE, HOW
EXPENSIVE THESE ARE AND THE FACT
THAT OFTENTIMES THEY ARE NOT
COVERED BY INSURANCE.
THAT IS WHY SHE AND SO MANY
OTHERS ARE FIGHTING, SAYING,
LOOK IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW THESE