Little boy who lost his foot at 18 months now models for Primark, Amazon and Schuh
- 4 days ago
A little boy who lost his foot at 18 months has become a model and now he travels the world posing for famous brands including Primark, Amazon and Schuh.
Arlo Tate, nine, was diagnosed with fibular hemimelia - a missing fibula - at birth.
An "abnormality" was picked up at his 20-week scan - but doctors were unsure what his condition was at the time.
His right foot was bent inwards so doctors suggested his parents allow them amputate his foot so he could learn to walk with a prosthetic leg.
Mum Naomi, 38, says walking with prosthesis was incredibly easy and Arlo hasn't let his disability hold him back.
Naomi says his friends weren’t aware Arlo even had a disability - as he plays football, basketball and rugby with them.
In March 2020, Arlo was scouted by a diverse modelling agency who wanted to sign him up and he has since travelled to Prague, London and Manchester - being paid £500 a shoot for brands like Primark, Amazon and Schuh.
Naomi, a property investment consultant, from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, said: “Arlo has beaten the odds to become a model before he’s even turned 10.
“I thought it was a scam at first - but it’s amazing to see him modelling for all these top brands.
“He gets looked after really well - every job he goes on, it’s all very luxurious.
“We get to take him to toy shops and let him have his pick to spend his wages - and he makes £500 per shoot.
“It doesn’t faze him at all that he’s earning all this money - he just loves sightseeing and making new friends.”
Naomi was told at her 20-week scan that her son would be born with an “abnormality” - despite having a "normal" pregnancy beforehand.
But doctors weren’t exactly sure what the abnormality would be - ONLY KNOWING IT WOULD IMPACT HIS LEG? - and his missing fibula was discovered at birth.
Due to his missing fibula and abnormal tibia - which was bent sideways - Arlo’s right foot curled inwards and he only had three toes.
Naomi said: “It was significantly shorter than his left leg. It would’ve grown, just at a really slow pace.
“I went straight on Facebook to look for other mums going through the same thing, it did make me feel less alone.”
While speaking to the other mums, Naomi began to weigh up her options.
She heard she’d be able to get leg lengthening surgery for Arlo - which is usually an option for patients with a shortened fibula.
But doctors told her it wouldn’t be possible - as they’d be unable to extend or replace bones that weren’t there to begin with.
After 18 months of research, Naomi and Arlo’s care team decided amputation would be the best route.
She said: “We decided the best way would be to amputate his right foot.
“At the beginning, I was really nervous.
“But in the three months before surgery, doctors fitted Arlo with a prosthetic leg, which had a set of five little toes.
“He absolutely loved it. It gave him the flexibility of being able to walk - and he could even put a shoe on it.
“I knew amputation would be th
Arlo Tate, nine, was diagnosed with fibular hemimelia - a missing fibula - at birth.
An "abnormality" was picked up at his 20-week scan - but doctors were unsure what his condition was at the time.
His right foot was bent inwards so doctors suggested his parents allow them amputate his foot so he could learn to walk with a prosthetic leg.
Mum Naomi, 38, says walking with prosthesis was incredibly easy and Arlo hasn't let his disability hold him back.
Naomi says his friends weren’t aware Arlo even had a disability - as he plays football, basketball and rugby with them.
In March 2020, Arlo was scouted by a diverse modelling agency who wanted to sign him up and he has since travelled to Prague, London and Manchester - being paid £500 a shoot for brands like Primark, Amazon and Schuh.
Naomi, a property investment consultant, from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, said: “Arlo has beaten the odds to become a model before he’s even turned 10.
“I thought it was a scam at first - but it’s amazing to see him modelling for all these top brands.
“He gets looked after really well - every job he goes on, it’s all very luxurious.
“We get to take him to toy shops and let him have his pick to spend his wages - and he makes £500 per shoot.
“It doesn’t faze him at all that he’s earning all this money - he just loves sightseeing and making new friends.”
Naomi was told at her 20-week scan that her son would be born with an “abnormality” - despite having a "normal" pregnancy beforehand.
But doctors weren’t exactly sure what the abnormality would be - ONLY KNOWING IT WOULD IMPACT HIS LEG? - and his missing fibula was discovered at birth.
Due to his missing fibula and abnormal tibia - which was bent sideways - Arlo’s right foot curled inwards and he only had three toes.
Naomi said: “It was significantly shorter than his left leg. It would’ve grown, just at a really slow pace.
“I went straight on Facebook to look for other mums going through the same thing, it did make me feel less alone.”
While speaking to the other mums, Naomi began to weigh up her options.
She heard she’d be able to get leg lengthening surgery for Arlo - which is usually an option for patients with a shortened fibula.
But doctors told her it wouldn’t be possible - as they’d be unable to extend or replace bones that weren’t there to begin with.
After 18 months of research, Naomi and Arlo’s care team decided amputation would be the best route.
She said: “We decided the best way would be to amputate his right foot.
“At the beginning, I was really nervous.
“But in the three months before surgery, doctors fitted Arlo with a prosthetic leg, which had a set of five little toes.
“He absolutely loved it. It gave him the flexibility of being able to walk - and he could even put a shoe on it.
“I knew amputation would be th