An Alberta man is recovering in hospital in Colorado after losing his leg in a hiking accident earlier this month.
Canmore resident Matt Hadley was struck by a rock while hiking with his wife Catherine Vipond just outside Moab, Utah on March 13.
In an blog entry on CaringBridge.org, Hadley’s wife said the rock caused severe trauma to Hadley’s hand and right leg but somehow “managed to miss his head and abdominal area.”
“Unfortunately, it did a number to his leg,” Vipond wrote. “Initially, he had a femoral artery graft and below-the-knee amputation. However, there was too much trauma from the crush injury and a second surgery progressed the amputation to above-the-knee at the site of his femur fracture.”
“The hope is the remaining tissues will survive and no further progression needed.”
Hadley was flown to Denver, Colo., where he has under gone multiple surgeries to his right leg and hand. He is now at the Swedish Medical Centre, where his family has joined him to support his road to recovery.
A GoFundMe page for Hadley with a fundraising goal of $65,000 has raised nearly $60,000 in donations. The money will go towards helping Hadley and Vipond financially while Matt continues forward with his rehabilitation.