In 2016, Denton (Texas) Fire/Rescue (DFR) Department Firefighter Gary Weiland had knee surgery, and for two years, everything seemed fine.
Then, in 2018, while playing football in the yard with his family and friends on Thanksgiving Day, his entire life changed without warning.
“I was literally running around the field, throwing a ball, and my knee started to swell up,” Weiland said. “Then, I couldn’t feel my foot.” His family rushed him to the hospital, where surgeons spent 15 hours attempting to restore blood flow to his foot, before telling Weiland they needed to amputate his leg.
The absurdity of the situation stunned him.
“My first thought was, ‘I need my turkey,’” he said. “This is Thanksgiving, what are you talking about, cutting my leg off. I haven’t even had Thanksgiving dinner yet.”