It has been 12 months since the public rallied behind 22-year-old Ezekiel Miller, whose lifelong battle with a persistent infection has cost him both legs and two fingers. Today, he still pushes his manual wheelchair for an hour each day through the streets of Freeport, Grand Bahama, asking passers-by for small donations to cover his basic living costs. His story has reemerged in the public eye after a video shared to Facebook on Wednesday reignited public concern, showing Miller seated in his chair, wearing black knitted gloves to cover open sores on his hands, his amputated lower legs visible beneath his black shorts. The person who filmed the video confirmed that Miller receives government disability assistance, but emphasized that the support falls far short of what he needs to get by, and called on the community to step forward to improve his quality of life.
In an interview with The Tribune on Thursday, Miller explained that years of pushing a manual wheelchair have left his body worn and strained. Last year, a Florida resident following his story partnered with local business owner Eddie Whan to gift him a donated motorised wheelchair, but the device has since broken down and is in need of repairs that Miller cannot afford. “I just need some help,” Miller said. “I don’t feel like pushing this wheelchair 24/7, messing up my hands. I’ve already been through so much.” He is currently in urgent need of a new functional motorised wheelchair to regain his mobility without constant physical strain.
Miller’s life was upended forever at age 14, when he stepped on a rusty nail that sparked a persistent, unidentifiable infection that has slowly spread through his body. He lost his first leg at 14, his second at 19, and two more fingers earlier this year, leaving him with eight functioning fingers. Though he currently experiences no constant physical pain, the infection continues to progress, and another finger is so deteriorated that his mother is planning for another amputation. “I mean, the legs are already gone, so now it’s moving through my hands,” Miller said, his voice heavy with resignation. When asked if he hopes for further surgery or prosthetic limbs to restore function, he seemed drained of hope, adding: “They can’t even get rid of the infection in me anyway. It’s definitely still hard for me. I basically can’t do too much.”
Last year, Miller traveled to the United States to see specialists in search of answers and treatment, but even top clinicians were unable to identify the root cause of his persistent infection. They only recommended minor additional surgery to remove a small section of remaining leg tissue, a procedure that has not stopped the infection’s spread. The condition has left him unable to hold steady employment, but the 22-year-old still considers himself a hard worker committed to earning what he can, describing himself as a “hustler.”
Each day, he pushes himself more than a mile from his home in Caravel Beach to downtown Freeport and surrounding neighborhoods, seeking small donations from people he meets. Local Grand Bahama community members have continued to show up for him, with many stopping to contribute cash for his daily food and needs, and Whan provides him with a regular monthly stipend to help. After last year’s outpouring of support, a bank account was set up to hold donations from supporters around the world, but Miller says fraudsters hacked the account and stole most of the funds. The Tribune has not yet been able to independently confirm this claim, but Miller said the theft left him devastated, and forced him back onto the streets to beg for support to survive.
For most of his life, Miller has been confined to a wheelchair, and his daily reality stands in stark contrast to the lives of most people his age, who get to enjoy travel, social connection and the freedom of young adulthood. Miller admitted that staying positive is a constant struggle. “When I’m by myself, I get down sometimes,” he said, explaining that he tries to hide his sadness from others. “Certain things I can’t do, I just can’t do. I just sit down and patiently wait for someone to help me, to be honest with you.” Right now, he says he is just doing his best to get by each day, and he is asking anyone who can donate a working motorised wheelchair or contribute financial support to reach out to him directly at 242 827-1213. Any assistance, he says, would be life-changing.