Jason Sudeikis Helps 2,000+ Amputees After Saving Friend

Twenty years ago, Jason Sudeikis threw a barbecue to help his friend walk again. Now that same act of kindness has helped over 2,000 people regain their mobility.

Billy Brimblecom, a Kansas City musician, lost his leg to cancer after 13 rounds of chemotherapy saved his life. His insurance would only cover half of the $60,000 he needed for a prosthetic limb, leaving him facing an impossible choice.

That's when Sudeikis, his friend from an improv workshop years earlier, stepped in. The future Saturday Night Live and Ted Lasso star organized a Kansas City barbecue fundraiser that raised more than enough money to get Brimblecom his new leg.

But the story didn't end there. That single barbecue evolved into Thundergong!, an annual variety show featuring music, comedy, and heartfelt moments that benefits the Steps of Faith Foundation.

The foundation helps uninsured and underinsured amputees across the country afford prosthetic limbs. Since 2017, Thundergong! has raised over $5 million, with the 2025 event alone bringing in more than $1.1 million.

For Brimblecom, the mission became his calling. After receiving his prosthetic, he visited another amputee who was struggling emotionally. The brief conversation lasted only minutes, but the hope he saw in the man's eyes changed everything.

"I could see the excitement and the hope in his eyes," Brimblecom recalled. "And I said, 'Gosh, I wish that could be my job.'"

The Ripple Effect

Today, Brimblecom serves as CEO of the Steps of Faith Foundation, turning his personal tragedy into a lifeline for thousands. The organization doesn't just provide prosthetics—it restores confidence and independence to people rebuilding their lives.

"You're giving them their confidence back," Sudeikis explained. "It's about hope, confidence, surviving, and thriving."

For Sudeikis, the reward is simple: "To do something that you love with people you love, to help people you may never meet—I wish it on everyone."