Preparing Halloween costumes can be a fun and exciting time for those that get into the spooky spirit, but for some, it can be a confusing holiday if regular costumes don’t cater to their body type. Leg amputee Josh Sundquist could have easily found himself disliking the holiday, but instead, he took on the challenge of making unique and interesting designs each Halloween with the help of his assistant, Lisa McLaughlin. This time around, he’s truly outdone himself with his costume as Lumière from Beauty and the Beast.
His costumes routinely go viral every year. He’s been known for being the gingerbread man from Shrek, a flamingo, and the leg lamp from A Christmas Story, among other things in the past. While he takes on the challenge of making viral-worthy costumes every year, there is one type of costume Sundquist won’t wear- a costume depicting an amputee.
“…I don’t want to dress as an amputee. I’m already an amputee 364 days per year. I don’t need a costume for that. Halloween is the day I can be something else. I look for costume ideas that represent a creative twist on my situation, ideally something only I am able to dress as because of the unique shape of my body,” he explains.
Just like his decision to create stunning costumes year after year, Sundquist is just as determined in everything he does in his life. He was formerly a member of the United States Paralympic Ski Team, and is currently a member of the U.S. Amputee Soccer Team. He’s also written two books and is gearing up for the release of his third in January; in-between all of that, he also works as a motivational speaker with a massively popular YouTube channel.
On his costumes, Sundquist says- “I’ve always dealt with the social discomfort of my disability by having a sense of humor. But now I’m more comfortable with who I am and what I look like, and I guess with these Halloween costumes you could even say that I celebrate what makes me different. Which may be either weird or refreshing, depending on your perspective.”
Sundquist is truly an inspiration for everyone. His creativity and drive show no bounds, and we can all learn to appreciate the lessons he invokes into his life every day. We can’t wait to see what he comes up with next year, and will be trying to live our lives to the fullest like he does.
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[Source: Konbini/Bored Panda ]
