College pitcher's stolen prosthetic arm found at recycling plant

An Augustana University pitcher who had his prosthetic arm stolen from his vehicle more than a week ago got it back on Tuesday morning. 

Parker Hanson received a text Tuesday that his his arm had been recovered at Millennium Recycling Inc. in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A worker at the plant found it amongst other items in the recycling facility and picked it out.

"I'm guessing it was found (Monday)," Hanson said. "The manager walked in and it was sitting on her desk."

On May 3, Hanson woke up and discovered his backpack containing many of his personal items, including his prosthetic arm and attachments, was stolen out of his vehicle. The student-athlete then took to social media to vent his frustrations.

The next day the Sioux Falls Police Department recovered a backpack with some of the prosthetic's attachments near Hanson's house. At the same time, Hanson's story became widely shared and people started fundraising for a replacement arm.

Worker: 'I recognized it instantly'

Nate Riddle and Tim Kachel were the pair of workers who found Hanson's arm Monday night while working a shift picking out non-recyclable items from the line.

They said they've seen just about everything mixed in with recyclables, but when Riddle picked out the prosthetic arm, he almost threw it away. Before he got the chance, Kachel stopped him.

"I recognized it instantly," Kachel said, "I was jumping up and down screaming 'stop!'"

Kachel keeps up with news and remembered hearing Hanson's story. He said he knew what the arm was as soon as he spotted it.

"I had no idea what was going on since he (Kachel) was freaking out, so I throw it over and he gives me the background," Riddle said.

Riddle was skeptical about Kachel claims, but let him turn the arm in to the front office. Then, Tuesday morning the pair's line was paused and everybody was asked to go to the office. There they met Hanson for the first time.

"You never know what you're going to see coming through this line," Kachel said, "He (Hanson) was so relieved and excited, he was shaking."

'It's been through a gauntlet'

Hanson said he had lost hope on finding his prosthetic arm and was focused on fundraising for a replacement, then he got the text. While he's happy to have recovered his missing prosthetic, he won't be using it anymore.

"It is pretty banged up," Hanson said. "It's definitely been through a gauntlet it looks like. We're still going through with the fundraiser to get a new one plus give back to the charities."

Hanson said he's been inundated with people reaching out to him to help, and he said he's using his platform to inspire others with disabilities. Thursday he played catch with a man that was born without part of his left arm and leg. Later this week he said he's meeting three other children.

Since Hanson is a NCAA athlete, he can't take donations, but on Monday he announced he'd been approved to take donations through Augustana University. The money he raises will pay for his new prosthetic arm and the rest will go to Shriner's Hospital and NubAbility to help other children and amputees get their own prosthetics. 

"If I can help impact some kid's life for a positive, then that's what I'll take out of this whole experience," Hanson said.

And on Tuesday afternoon, Hanson learned that he will receive a new arm for free.

Lauren Elm, marketing manager for Shriner's Children's Twin Cities, told the Argus Leader on Tuesday afternoon that Hanson was approved to receive a new prosthetic at "no cost" to him. His fundraiser will continue and the money will go to charity, Elm said.