Model Proudly Flaunts Prosthetic Legs After Years of Shame
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Social conditioning can be tough. Societal perceptions often place a premium on physical appearance and ‘normalcy,’ so people with limb loss and limb difference can sometimes feel judged based on their appearance. For Lyric Mariah Heard, she felt ashamed of having to wear a prosthetic leg, even hiding it as a kid. It took years to finally overcome that shame.
Today, Heard, a model based in London, wears two prosthetic legs—one for sneakers, which she calls Bertha, and another for high heels, called Tina. Those two prostheses went viral online after Heard posted her first leg switch video in 2023.
Heard and her friends were out shooting one day. When she paused to adjust her prosthetic leg, her friend captured it on video. They decided the footage was “cute,” so Heard posted it. And people loved it. Since posting that video, Heard has amassed over 365,000 followers on TikTok and 748,000 followers on Instagram. As of this publication, she continues to share videos of herself swapping out her prosthetic legs in public.
Growing up “different”
Heard was born with amniotic band syndrome, a rare condition in which fibrous strands originating from the amniotic sac can wrap around parts of the developing fetus. As a result, she was born without the lower half of her right leg and only has three fully-formed fingers on her left hand, with none on her right.
Growing up, the 28-year-old was the sole child in her town with a limb difference, so she quickly knew she was “different.” She still faced the typical issues that her peers encountered, but she also had to overcome additional challenges that came with wearing a prosthetic limb. She was also highly self-critical about her appearance.
Heard told PEOPLE that her entire life was influenced by how others perceived her. She was constantly placed in a box and assigned labels that could easily change. For a long time, she felt she had to conform to other people’s expectations, shaping herself into whatever the people around her decided she should be. But eventually, Heard couldn’t bear the discomfort of conforming to others’ expectations.
The journey towards acceptance
Since she began walking, Heard has kept removing and hiding her prosthetic leg in an effort to blend in. Eventually, her mother had to get a strap to secure it to her residual limb.
As she grew older, Heard received a new prosthetic leg every 18 months until she reached 18. After that, obtaining a replacement became challenging due to issues with her insurance.
In 2015, she started college and later relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her modeling dream. By that time, her last prosthetic foot had worn out, leaving her with just a metal plate to walk on. She quickly realized that if she wanted to succeed in the modeling world, she needed to get a new leg. She shared with PEOPLE that she’d attempt to blend in on set, but she would end up standing out for the wrong reasons.
She’d attempt to blend in, but she would end up standing out for the wrong reasons, like walking with just a metal plate.
In addition to her worn-out prosthetic, Heard felt out of place because her prostheses were designed with flat arches, which limited her shoe options. For years, high-heeled shoes were off-limits, even for occasions like prom. Nevertheless, she didn’t let that stop her from trying to wear them, giving her mother a run for her money.
Heard’s perception of living with limb difference turned the corner in 2019 when she received two new prosthetic legs from the company that created her first one. One leg had an arched foot, which expanded her footwear options.
On set, Heard is grateful for her stylist, who provides her with immense support. Unlike other stylists who would opt for simpler shoes, he would take the extra effort to find and secure the right shoes on her prosthetic limb. Her stylist even came up with the name Bertha for one of her prosthetic legs when they couldn’t get a boot on it.
Born to stand out
Reflecting on her journey, Heard acknowledged that she spent a lot of time feeling ashamed of her prosthetics, believing it hindered her confidence and made life more difficult. Now, she has embraced her prosthetics as an important part of her story—from walking major fashion runways to championing inclusivity in the fashion industry.
As an adult, she doesn’t concern herself with how others view her using her prosthetic leg anymore. Hiding and trying to blend in didn’t stop others from staring or sharing their opinions.
Hiding and trying to blend in didn’t stop other people from staring or sharing their opinions.
Now, she feels that making her limb difference and prostheses more visible has led to fewer questions. She realized that the more open she is with her prostheses, the more people accept it. Heard told PEOPLE that she has encountered far more awkwardness in crowded places, like airports, than when she switches legs.
The more you reveal, the less people expect you to hide, she realized.
