Emergency Prosthetic Leg Amputation

This wonderful man, Matthew Kendall,  lost his lower right leg on Sunday, August 30, 2020. After having gone through another surgery previously y to try and save it and his heart due to the infection.  



Initially, this stemmed from a car accident at 18 years old when he made the terrible mistake of driving home too late in the evening.  He fell asleep at the wheel. In the rollover, his ankle exited the driver's side window and was crushed between metal and asphalt.  The wreckage to the vehicle was so extensive, the tow truck driver thought for sure, the person who drove this car was dead. 



Since that fateful night, Matthew has had numerous surgeries over the years, eventually, he had a STAR total ankle replacement implant surgery.  Matthew's new normal life post-implant surgery was a frozen implant without any movement in his ankle or foot at all. Post-surgery included a frozen foot painfully walking and could only stand for a few minutes at a time without excruciating pain. There has been no running, no hiking, no cardio, no swimming, limited standing, and his favorite pastime of motorcycle riding since the initial implant.



Tragically, he is fighting for his life right now with a severe late-stage staph infection that started in his ankle implant caused by a head-on automobile collision from a person who was driving while talking on a cell phone last September 2019. The severe staph infection has embedded itself around the ankle implant and has compromised his heart. He has already experienced one heart attack and continues to be at high risk due to the impact of the infection on his cardiovascular system. His current situation has him already in the hospital again since trying to fight this infection and save his life.



On Thursday 8/27/20 he went in for an ankle arthroscopy, which is having his ankle cleaned out and as much of the infection removed. However, since Thursday, his ankle has taken a drastic turn. With the severity of the infection, the surgeons have called for an emergency amputation Sunday morning. They could not even wait until Monday and are having the surgeon come in on a Sunday.



This news from the UCI Medical Center (in Southern California) has fallen hard on Matthew, his family, and loved ones. The life-threatening infection only compounds the grief of his below-the-knee amputation. 



Matthew has had to endure all of this alone in the hospital due to restrictions of visitors during COVID-19. As he came out of anesthesia and still in massive amounts of pain, the doctor spoke to him about the amputation. Matthew had no one to lean on or confide in when hearing this news. His mother is currently trying to get special permission from the doctor to visit before he goes back into surgery and then comes out minus his leg. We are all praying that his mother can be there for him when he wakes up to help with the devastating grief of having lost a limb, but that is out of our hands right now. 




Matthew was born a fighter. He has been caring and generous to all those who have the pleasure of meeting him. All of his loved ones have experienced his positivity, character, loyalty, and integrity. Every child in his extended family runs to be with Matthew when he comes in the room. He shares life lessons on how being a bully is wrong or how to stick up for the underdog is right.




With this challenge before him, Matthew is hoping to be able to be a role model to those facing amputation.  He wants to give back those around him and give back to children in need of training with their prosthetics. When Matthew sets his mind to something, there is no stopping him and with your help and support, I know he will truly do everything he can to work with children with prosthetics.




Matthew’s insurance does not cover ANY amount in the purchase of a prosthesis. His insurance covers only a 1960’s style prosthesis. Unfortunately, all prostheses are cash or credit only. Once he has his amputation, he will need an amazing prosthesis right away to keep his weakened leg strong. Keeping it strong initially will improve and quicken his quality of life, increase his recovery projection in both time and quality of life, and save him from muscle atrophy and permanent shrinkage that would put him in a position to then have to purchase another prosthesis that fits. So ideally, and unfortunately, getting the best prosthesis from the start is expensive but it also aids and provides the ability to have the fullest and best recovery and prevents atrophy which would ensue more and different implants that would cost more money, that insurance does not cover.



The price of a new prosthetic leg can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $50,000. But even the most expensive prosthetic limbs are built to withstand only three to five years of wear and tear, meaning they will need to be replaced over the course of a lifetime, and they're not a one-time cost. 



We are hoping with this Go Fund Me page, you’ll find value in Matthew’s mission and you will make a contribution.  We are working toward Matthew being able to be all that he can be. 




Thank you for your charity,




Fingers Crossed, God bless.