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Jason Sudeikis, local foundation change lives one faithful step at a time

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- On a crisp Sunday afternoon, Kenneth Traughber sits at his uncle's kitchen table in Roeland Park. 

"It's a slow recovery, but you get there one day at a time," Traughber, whose walker was right beside him, said.

One day and one step at a time. It's an apt description for Traughber's journey since last December when he lost a leg due to complications from diabetes.

"I got around for all these months with one leg, you know mostly in a wheelchair, getting around with a walker using one leg," he said.

With no insurance to pay for a prosthetic limb, Traughber lost faith he would ever recover. 

That's where Billy Brimblecom came in. He's a Kansas City native who lost one of his own legs to cancer and learned firsthand just how expensive prosthetics can be. 

"Even the most basic thing is going to be five to ten thousand dollars minimum," Brimblecom explained.

Recognizing the need, Brimblecom started Steps of Faith, a foundation that pays for prosthetic limbs for those unable to afford them.

People like Kenneth Traughber.

"There's a god that answers prayers," Traughber said of the organization.

But giving the gift of faith is expensive. That's where Jason Sudeikis and a star cast of characters join this story.

Sudeikis and Brimblecom grew up together. Back when Brimblecom was struggling to pay for his own prosthetic leg, Sudeikis helped with fundraising.

With that initial benefit in mind, Sudeikis and Steps for Faith organized a concert called Thundergong, which played at the Uptown Theater on Sunday night. The show featured former SNL cast members Will Forte and Fred Armisen, plus music superstar Wynonna Judd. 

It also featured a Steps of Faith celebrity- Kenneth Traughber, who told the crowd how Steps of Faith gave him hope again. 

He's learning to walk with two legs again. It's a journey to recovery one step of faith at a time, thanks to Brimblecom and his foundation.

"Not enough words to express what he has done. He's done a lot. I mean he made my life a whole lot better," Traughber said with tears in his eyes.

Thundergong was just one part of Steps of Faith's initiative to raise $250,000 before Giving Tuesday on November 28. You can learn more and donate at https://www.thundergong.org/ or at www.stepsoffaithfoundation.org.