[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/03\/justin-bonus-50ph\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/03\/justin-bonus-50ph\/","headline":"Still Fighting: After Losing Legs in Crash, Firefighter Refuses to Give in","name":"Still Fighting: After Losing Legs in Crash, Firefighter Refuses to Give in","description":"Justin Dawson saw the car that would change his life coming at him almost in slow motion. He was going through the early stages of a normal workday with the Virginia Department of Transportation. He went to help his co-workers assist a stranded motorist outside the East River Mountain Tunnel in West Virginia. But as […]","datePublished":"2020-03-05","dateModified":"2022-04-19","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"","name":"UPMC","url":"","sameAs":"","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/justinbonus.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/justinbonus.jpg","height":325,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/03\/justin-bonus-50ph\/","about":["Health Topics A-Z","Rehabilitation"],"wordCount":495,"articleBody":"Justin Dawson saw the car that would change his life coming at him almost in slow motion.He was going through the early stages of a normal workday with the Virginia Department of Transportation. He went to help his co-workers assist a stranded motorist outside the East River Mountain Tunnel in West Virginia.But as he approached the back of the VDOT service truck, he looked back and saw another vehicle coming \u2013 directly toward the shoulder.Justin thought the driver would eventually swerve. He didn\u2019t.\u201cI had no time,\u201d he says.function load_upmc_video_1_e8pn7nu9(obj,autoplay){window[\"autoplay_1_e8pn7nu9\"]=autoplay;let $this=$(obj),el=document.createElement(\"script\");$this.removeAttr(\"onmouseover\").removeAttr(\"onclick\").html(\"\");el.src=\"https:\/\/cdnapisec.kaltura.com\/p\/5687602\/embedPlaykitJs\/uiconf_id\/53926702\";document.body.appendChild(el);var waiting_1_e8pn7nu9=setInterval(function(){if(window[\"KalturaPlayer\"] !== undefined){clearInterval(waiting_1_e8pn7nu9);try{let kalturaPlayer=KalturaPlayer.setup({targetId:\"kaltura-video_1_e8pn7nu9_6a0ea2c9529d5\",provider:{partnerId:\"5687602\",uiConfId:\"53926702\"},playback:{autoplay:autoplay_1_e8pn7nu9}});kalturaPlayer.loadMedia({entryId:\"1_e8pn7nu9\"});}catch(e){console.error(e);}document.getElementById(\"kaltura-video_1_e8pn7nu9_6a0ea2c9529d5\").dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(\"videoLoad\",{bubbles:true,detail:{\"selector\":\"kaltura-video_1_e8pn7nu9_6a0ea2c9529d5\",\"account_id\":\"5687602\",\"player_id\":\"53926702\",\"video_id\":\"1_e8pn7nu9\",\"autoplay\":\"autoplay_1_e8pn7nu9\"}}));}},10);}At the last minute, Justin jumped. But the car still hit him directly, pinning him to the back of the service truck. After landing on the ground, he felt the blood running down his legs and knew it was serious.The car severely injured both of Justin\u2019s legs. An ambulance rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he then was helicoptered to another hospital for a double amputation.The crash cost Justin more than just both legs. Because of his injuries, he had to give up a dream job as a firefighter in Virginia Beach.He didn\u2019t let it take more than that, though.\u201cAfter my accident, I knew people were going to say he\u2019s going to give up,\u201d Justin says. \u201cThat drove me a lot. I wanted to show everybody that I\u2019m not just going to lay here in bed, or I\u2019m not going to just sit in a wheelchair the rest of my life.\u201dJustin went through two stages of occupational and physical therapy at the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute at UPMC Mercy. In the first, he needed to rebuild his strength, balance, and flexibility, and learn how to maneuver in a wheelchair.He returned a second time with two prosthetic legs, where he stood and walked for the first time. Six months after the crash, Justin walked out of Mercy with just the aid of a walker.function load_upmc_video_1_td3sijvr(obj,autoplay){window[\"autoplay_1_td3sijvr\"]=autoplay;let $this=$(obj),el=document.createElement(\"script\");$this.removeAttr(\"onmouseover\").removeAttr(\"onclick\").html(\"\");el.src=\"https:\/\/cdnapisec.kaltura.com\/p\/5687602\/embedPlaykitJs\/uiconf_id\/53926702\";document.body.appendChild(el);var waiting_1_td3sijvr=setInterval(function(){if(window[\"KalturaPlayer\"] !== undefined){clearInterval(waiting_1_td3sijvr);try{let kalturaPlayer=KalturaPlayer.setup({targetId:\"kaltura-video_1_td3sijvr_6a0ea2c9584e3\",provider:{partnerId:\"5687602\",uiConfId:\"53926702\"},playback:{autoplay:autoplay_1_td3sijvr}});kalturaPlayer.loadMedia({entryId:\"1_td3sijvr\"});}catch(e){console.error(e);}document.getElementById(\"kaltura-video_1_td3sijvr_6a0ea2c9584e3\").dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(\"videoLoad\",{bubbles:true,detail:{\"selector\":\"kaltura-video_1_td3sijvr_6a0ea2c9584e3\",\"account_id\":\"5687602\",\"player_id\":\"53926702\",\"video_id\":\"1_td3sijvr\",\"autoplay\":\"autoplay_1_td3sijvr\"}}));}},10);}Along the way, Justin\u2019s determination and positive attitude during the rehab left a sizable impression on his therapists.\u201cIf there\u2019s a will, there\u2019s a way,\u201d he says. \u201cIf I want to do something bad enough, I can do it.\u201dJustin says support from his family, friends, now-fianc\u00e9e, and therapists helped get him through the grueling rehab. The 25-year-old now is doing many of the things he loved doing before the crash, especially spending time in the outdoors.He considers himself lucky \u2013 that if he hadn\u2019t jumped, the crash would have killed him. A firefighter for 10 years before the crash, he\u2019s still helping with training. And he wants to start a foundation to provide safety vests for the fire departments in his county, to prevent similar incidents in the future.\u201cMaybe one of those vests will help somebody from ending up like I did,\u201d he says. \u201cI just want to be able to help people. Maybe it\u2019s just my way of helping others.\u201d"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"03","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/\/03\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Still Fighting: After Losing Legs in Crash, Firefighter Refuses to Give in","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/03\/justin-bonus-50ph\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]