Age: 17
Hometown: Dallas, OR
Diagnosis: Right hip dysplasia
Shoe: Nike GT Future
Most people think of hip replacement surgery as something reserved for older adults, but Kamoryn Marshall is here to tell you differently. At just four months old, a septic infection attacked the bone and cartilage in his hip, leading to hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis.
The years of pain never kept Kamoryn from pursuing his passion for sport as a kid. One day, however, it got so bad that he had to be carried off the field during a practice. “That was pretty heartbreaking,” he admitted. “I didn’t think I’d ever play sports again.”
It was clear that Kamoryn needed a new hip. So, at age 12 he underwent a total hip replacement at Doernbecher, followed by another surgery when he was 14 to correct a difference in the length of his legs. After months of physical therapy, Kamoryn returned to his favorite sport of basketball—and has been a force to be reckoned with ever since.
He says a funny post-surgica l experience inspired his custom GT Future. “I was still pretty dopey, and when I looked up, I thought I saw goldfish swimming out of the ceiling,” he said. “I thought it would be cool to include them on my shoe.”
The metallic Swoosh on the right shoe is a nod to his titanium right hip, while the stitches inside pay tribute to his surgical scar. On the back of the shoe, the phrase Booyakasha is a shout-out to his favorite fictional character “He’s totally off the wall and likes to do his own thing. Kind of like me,” Kamoryn grinned.
Another fun fact: Because Kamoryn is color blind, he chose vibrant shades of pink and purple because they’re colors he can clearly see. The result is an ombré effect that’s as cool as the kid who designed it.
When he’s not balling with his high school basketball team, Kamoryn loves cooking, hanging out with his siblings, and tutoring kids with special needs. He says that being able to help even more kids through the sale of his shoes is especially meaningful.
“I’m proud to be a part of the Freestyle program’s higher purpose,” he said. “There are so many kids at Doernbecher that need help, and it feels good to give back to a place that did so much for me.”
