Father defies odds to walk again with prosthetic leg after mining accident

PETROS Letsoalo suffered a severe compound fracture when a heavy piece of metal equipment crushed his lower right leg in an underground mining accident near Witbank in October 2024. Through hard work and determination, he is now back home and walking again - with a prosthetic leg that helps him keep up with his energetic young daughter.

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"Life can change in a second. I never thought I would have to go through an amputation, but you never know what can happen in a day," says Petros.

Immediately after the accident, Petros was rushed to the level 1 trauma centre at Netcare Alberton Hospital for lifesaving emergency treatment.

"All the doctors tried their best, but my leg could not be saved due to the severity of the accident. When I heard that we needed to call my family to discuss amputation, it was a terrible moment, and at first, I was scared and confused," he recalls.

"As the days went on, I thought about it more, and I realised that amputating my injured leg was necessary for me to get better. With the guidance of a psychologist at the hospital, I focused on my four-year-old daughter, and I came to accept that life goes on. I realised that my daughter still needs me, and she has kept me going through all of this." About two weeks later, when Petros was stable after his amputation, he was transferred to Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital to help aid his recovery.

"Losing a limb is a significant, lifechanging event, and it can be stressful for a person to imagine how they will manage daily life and earn a living afterwards," says Dr Rajesh Bhoola, who was part of the team that worked with Petros to help him adapt and prepare for a prosthetic leg fitting.