A brief ceremony marked the start of the construction of Scott Sabolich Prosthetics and Research’s planned new facility at 10301 N Broadway Extension in Oklahoma City on Tuesday.

Scott Sabolich spokeswoman Carol Sorrels started off the ceremony by giving special recognition to the realtors who helped the company secure the nine-acre lot, representatives of MidFirst Bank who gave the loan to buy the property and start building, representatives of Interior Designs and Howard Site Design, cost estimators and numerous engineers, architects artists, and construction workers for their help in making the idea for the building a reality.

“As you can see, it takes a whole lot of people to pull something like this off,” Sorrels said, motioning to the crowd. “I just want to thank everyone for their help.”

Then she turned the microphone over to John and Lee Sabolich, the second generation of the Sabolich family to work in the prosthetics field and the parents of Scott Sabolich.

After John and Lee praised their son’s ingenuity, dedication, desire for innovation and compassion, Scott and wife Kim Sabolich stepped up to say a few words.

When she and Scott first took an active hand in the business, “there was fear of the unknown,” said Kim Sabolich. “We felt confident that we were making the right decision in order to provide the quality patient care that has been synonymous with for so many years, but we were unsure how long it would take to successfully spread the word to patients and to caring doctors.”

Kim Sabolich continued to say that, thanks to the caring staff at Scott Sabolich, “the growth has been phenomenal. “Scott and I couldn’t be more proud or feel more blessed to be part of such an outstanding team.” She went on to say that she and Scott had long dreamed of a state-of-the-art prosthetic facility unlike any other in the world.

Kim Sabolich said that although there will benefits to the OKC metro area from the center, the amputees who would be helped were the main inspiration behind her and Scott’s drive to build the facility. “This is about our patients, who we truly love,” she said. “Above all,” Kim Sabolich said, “I give thanks to our Father in Heaven, who guides us each day and continues to shower us with many, many blessings.”

Company head and namesake Scott Sabolich spoke next, commenting on what a sense of awe he felt on being present at the site and witnessing the start of his dream becoming real. “It just didn’t hit me until I got here and saw this,” he said. “I really think there’s a lot of heart and soul going into this place.”

Architect Allen Brown spoke next, mentioning that the new facility was going to be “something really special.”

“Most important is creating an atmosphere for positive patient experiences,” Brown, owner of Allen Brown Architects, said in a press release. “Our design team worked closely with Scott and Kim Sabolich and their staff on a comprehensive building, interior and site design so the patient’s impression of the complex will be a soothing place where they will receive professional care.”

Pastor Marty Grubbs then closed the first part of the ceremony by leading all those assembled in a brief, meaningful, heartfelt prayer of thanks to God.

Then, to the tune of the 1960s soul hit, “Can You Dig It”, the staff of Scott Sabolich lined up n two opposing lines about 20 feet apart, planted their shovels and pitched in, each digging a shovelful of earth. At the same time, Scott Sabolich drove a bulldozer nearby, digging up a ceremonial first mound of earth to applause and cheers.

“I’m more excited than anything right now,” Scott Sabolich said. “I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’ve never felt this way before – it’s the first time I’ve ever done anything of this magnitude in my entire life.”

Scott Sabolich expressed great pride in his family’s history of helping those who have lost limbs live a more normal life.

“My grandfather started back in 1947 in a small prosthetic facility on NW 10th and Western, my dad took it over in the late seventies, and now I’m taking over, since 1999. I’ll tell you, it really is more than I ever could have expected to happen – It’s really a ‘my cup has runneth over’ situation.

Scott Sabolich said prosthetists are able to help amputees get back the ability to do things they thought they could never do again. “There’s not too many jobs you can have where you can get off work and say, ‘I really changed someone’s life,’” he said.

“That’s really pretty cool – I mean, it’s very rewarding.”