MOULTRIE, Ga. — Roscoe Singletary has been through a slew of surgeries in the past decade with a recent one amputating his leg below the knee. Now the community is trying to get him back on his feet with a prosthesis.

“Please donate and if you can’t please send a prayer his way,” Singletary’s gofundme page, Roscoe Singletary Prosthesis and Billing, read.

Twenty-eight people in total have already donated $1,118; however, it’s a long way from its goal of $50,000.

Chaz Singletary, daughter and fundraiser organizer, said she never thought they would get to this day, but they did.

Roscoe’s surgeries are the result of blood clots, which are themselves the result of a groin aneurism he had in 2010. It was an “unusual” one, he said, one that came from his femoral artery.

“My femoral artery was completely jacked up, almost like I was hit with a blunt object,” Roscoe said. “But I’ve never been hospitalized for anything, so we couldn’t figure out what was going on with that.”

Roscoe would go on to have two surgeries that year and 11 more between then and 2017: three in 2012, two in 2013, three in 2014, one in 2015, two in 2016. The surgeries had him back to being active in 2017, but relief was short-lived. 

Two more surgeries occurred in 2018, four in 2019 and five between Jan. 14 and 28, 2020 — a total of 22 across the decade.

Among those surgeries in 2020 was his below- the-knee amputation, something he fought profusely.

“I didn’t want my leg amputated,” he said. “I was like ‘No, I’m not going to do it,’ but by this time things were getting worse. My tissue and toes were dying, turning black. Everything was dying from my toes down.”

After a discussion with family, Roscoe decided to receive the amputation.

Fortunately, it wasn’t his life, just a foot; but regardless Roscoe is still dealing with loss and the adjustment that must come with it.

Chaz said Roscoe wasn’t happy at all at first.

“He was losing his foot [and] he wasn’t going to go back to doing what he used to love doing,” she said. “But me and my family went up, we had a talk with him just letting him know that we would do our best to get him the best prosthetic leg that we can.”

It was a mission to get her father back to doing what he loved: coaching, playing sports and being all-around active. It’s also a mission to give him something to look forward to.

“I know he could sit up there in the hospital and probably get discouraged and start to get depressed because no one would want to lose their foot,” Chaz said.

Roscoe himself said losing his foot was a difficult process, but this was also the best he’s felt in a while.

“The pain wasn’t bad and now it’s happened, I’m able to feel less pain and I’m feeling good right now,” he said.

Roscoe worked for the City of Moultrie for 21 years, and was a basketball and football coach for Colquitt County High School. So, between that and getting back to riding his bike everyday — being active again — is what he’s looking forward to most after his hospital release.

While his family did tell him they’d be working on getting him the best prosthesis they could, Roscoe didn’t know about the fundraiser. He found out through a call with a friend.

“It brings tears to my eyes just seeing people donate,” Roscoe said. “The comments, the things that they make about you — it makes you feel good. You know you’ve touched them in some way for them to donate and try to help. I appreciate them.”

But seeing the love his daughter showed by creating the fundraiser made a warm feeling wash over him. It reciprocated the love he’s shown her. 

“Not knowing your daughter’s doing something to try to help me get back on my feet was just …,” he paused. “ I love her for that.”

For Chaz, that was the point. He’s taken care of her her whole life, still does, and she wants to return that love tenfold.

“I just want to make sure that whatever he needs, I will make it happen,” she said. “I want to see my dad happy. Even though his foot is gone, I still want him to feel like he has a purpose. He lost his foot, but he didn’t lose his life.”

Roscoe remains at Southern Regional Medical Center in Riverdale, Ga. Those wanting to donate or share the fundraiser can visit https://www.gofundme.com.