Hayden Bailey grew up in rural Sparland. He went to Midland grade schools and graduated from Midland High School in 2010.

In 2012, he was accepted into the Steamfitters Local 353 apprenticeship program. He had completed his first year and had just begun his second year of classes when tragedy struck. In October of 2013, Hayden crashed his work van in a single-vehicle accident. He doesn’t remember that day or how it happened, only what was told to him later.

His father was on his way to an auction when he came upon a van in a ditch. Not knowing who it was, he got out to help and then realized it was his son. He called 911 immediately, and they called for Life Flight. Later, because of the fog that day, they learned that after his flight, all helicopters were grounded.

Hayden was in extremely critical condition. At the hospital, the surgeons assessed him and came out to tell his parents that his legs had compartment syndrome, and at least one would need to be amputated. He also had a broken vertebra in his neck, acute liver and kidney failure, a broken wrist, two breaks in his hip, and broken ribs. They didn’t know if he would live.

His mother, Janet, told the doctor, “Well, that isn’t up to you—that’s up to God. So get in there and save my son’s life.”

His family and his girlfriend, Abby, waited for hours as the surgeons worked to save his life. Abby said she never doubted that she would always stay by Hayden’s side. While waiting in the hospital, she found a wheat penny on the floor in the hall.

Hayden collects wheat pennies, and she took it as a sign that he would make it. After surgery, she admitted she was afraid to go into his room, unsure of what her reaction would be. But once inside, it was still her Hayden—and through it all, she stayed by his side. “Hayden has a great personality and a strong will. Whatever he sets his mind to do, he does.”

After hours of surgery, doctors amputated one leg and removed part of the other, which was fully amputated 13 days later. His other injuries were stabilized, and he was still alive. Hayden remained in a coma for the first 18 days. When he awoke, he learned he was now a bilateral above-knee amputee and on full dialysis treatments.

In the days that followed, his body began to heal. “It was like a miracle,” Hayden said. “My kidneys began to work normally again for no reason, and I was able to get off dialysis.” He stayed in the hospital for a total of 47 days.

“In the hospital, everybody does the work for you. When you get home, the hard work begins,” Hayden explained. Asked about depression, he admitted he did struggle at first but knew he couldn’t sit around and feel sorry for himself—he had a lot of life left to live.

He attended doctor’s appointments and had in-home physical therapy for a few weeks, but he knew that wasn’t what he needed. He began searching online for amputee peers or programs for bilateral above-knee amputees and found Dream Team Prosthetics in Duncan, Oklahoma—a life camp workshop for bilateral above-knee amputees to learn how to live a full, normal life with no adaptations. 

He immediately reached out and signed up to attend the free camp. Afterward, he chose to receive his prosthetic treatment at Dream Team Prosthetics due to their experience and high success rate of full active recovery with bilateral above-knee amputees. Hayden left his wheelchair at home the first time he went to Oklahoma and never used it again once they fit him with “stubbies”—short prosthetic leg platforms used in the rehabilitation process.

Stubbies are designed with a lower center of gravity to improve balance, stability, and endurance. They are also a great tool for adapting to life after bilateral limb loss. Hayden still wears stubbies daily to enjoy being at eye level with his young children.

At camp, there was no sympathy or pity—only real-life situations and lessons. “If you go with them in public and you fall down in front of other people, they don’t rush to pick you up. They just guide you on how to find a way to get back up on your own.” Hayden knew that was what he needed: not sympathy, not help, but the tools to do everything by himself—and he was determined to succeed.

He spent about six months on stubbies full-time before transitioning to full-length prosthetics. He started working part-time at Geiger’s and doing odd jobs. He began living a normal life with prosthetics, wearing them all day, every day.

Hayden completed his apprenticeship program classes, and by a stroke of good luck, he found a company called Entec that was hiring a technician for maintenance and generator work. He was hired full-time in October 2016, just three years after his accident. Hayden began working full-time at his trade again, traveling wherever he was needed. Today, he mainly works on backup power generators, often driving to Chicago, St. Louis, western Iowa, and other areas for jobs.

By 2020, Hayden was so proficient in prosthetics that he was invited to participate in a prototype study for a new prosthetic device. This included multiple trips to Vienna, Austria, to work with design engineers at Ottobock. That prototype is now produced as the Ottobock X4 knee—the most advanced microprocessor knee on the market. “Austria is beautiful,” Hayden said. “I felt blessed to be asked to be part of it all.”

Hayden credits his recovery and determination to go on largely to Abby, who never left his side. “I knew he would be okay,” Abby recalls. They married in 2017 and now have four children: Reese (5), Jase (4), and twins Avery and Teagan (2 ½).

“Four kids in basically three years,” Hayden laughed. “The last ones were a bit of a surprise—especially since there were two!”

He adds, “I have a great wife, a beautiful home, a great job, and four wonderful kids. I’m a very blessed man.”

Hayden also has a “side hustle” creating motivational, entertaining, and educational videos about his life after limb loss. He has dubbed himself “Limb Loss Boss.” His goal is to help people smile and remind other amputees that there is life after tragedy—and to never give up. “Anything is possible if you want it and work at it.” He has also spoken at a number of events.

This fall, Hayden is launching the physical branch of his business, LimbLossBoss, featuring his own apparel, accessories, and a custom-formulated beard oil. His website—LimbLossBoss.com—features his shop, social media, and prosthetic clinic resources.

In addition to family and work, Hayden enjoys hunting and shed antler collecting. Last year, he walked 80 miles hunting for antlers and has built quite a collection. He also hunts deer and squirrels and enjoys fishing. Of course, keeping up with four rambunctious kids keeps him busy as well.

Hayden believes his only competition is himself yesterday. Ultimately, he says losing his legs wasn’t a tragedy but a blessing in disguise. He is an inspiration to many—to never give up, no matter the circumstances.

Thank you, Hayden, for being someone we can look up to—with legs, or without.