Amputee dies just after getting replacement legs Before man can walk again, tragedy strikes

Maria Rodirguez, left, and her sisters, Rosa Bravo and Conchita Gallegos, right, talk about the death of their brother. Maria Rodirguez, left, and her sisters, Rosa Bravo and Conchita Gallegos, right, talk about the death of their brother. Photo: Melissa Phillip, Chronicle Photo: Melissa Phillip, Chronicle Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Amputee dies just after getting replacement legs 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Juan Melendez, a double amputee from League City, walked for the first time Wednesday with two new legs donated by a local charity.

“He was so excited,” said Rosa Bravo, Melendez’s sister.

But on Thursday morning, the day he was to show off his new legs for reporters, the 57-year-old suffered a series of heart attacks that killed him.

He was to become the first recipient of Angels for Amputees, started by New Life and Brace Limb. The charity gives prosthetics to those without insurance or enough money. Melendez, who was also diabetic, had been denied Medicaid and disability.

Bravo and Maria Rodriguez, another of Melendez’s 10 siblings, said their brother looked fine when they last saw him at Manor Care Health Services. He began rehabilitation at the Webster facility about one year ago.

He had no prior history of heart problems, they said.

Bravo said a Manor Care employee told her Melendez “got over-excited” and that “it was too much for him.”

Manor Care refused comment.

Officials with New Life Brace and Limb said the situation was tragic.

“He was so motivated,” said Elizabeth Bass, director of marketing and sales. “He was trying so hard and he was doing a great job. It was really cool to hear that he was able to get up and walk (Wednesday) all across the parallel bars. They said he was grinning ear to ear.”

Bass said the father of three wanted to walk right out the door and go home.

He got to buy one of his favorite items for the first time in years, Bravo said.

“He had bought some new shoes — black Stacy Adams,” Bravo said. “He had been shining them up. He was real excited but couldn’t walk in them yet because they were too heavy.”

Lost a leg in prison

Melendez lost his first leg when he was in prison. It lost blood pressure and he fell, resulting in an infection, Bravo said. Fourteen months ago at his home in League City, the second leg became infected with gangrene and was amputated.

Before Melendez lost his legs, he enjoyed fishing at the Texas City dikes or Walter Hall Park in League City, his sisters said. They say he had a good sense of humor. Bravo recounted a time he played a prank at the rehabilitation facility.

“He told a nurse, ’someone stole my shoes, where are they!’ ” Bravo said. “The nurse was startled and started searching before he pulled back the blanket and she saw he had no legs.”

Bingo winnings

Bravo and Rodriguez last saw their older brother on Tuesday, when they took him out to eat. He gave Bravo a bag of toys he won playing bingo to give to her children. He could stand, but hadn’t tried walking, they said.

“He said, ‘Look sis, I’m going to stand up for you to see me,’ Bravo said. “He told the nurses he was going to leave walking.”

allen.reed@chron.com