‘The Challenge’ Star Nelson Thomas Gives Health Update After Shocking Foot Amputation
Nelson Thomas is on the road to recovery after receiving a below-the knee amputation of his right leg.
One year after a nearly-fatal car accident that left Thomas unable to walk for three months, The Challenge star posted a TikTok video giving fans an update on how he is doing after his transformative surgery.
“At least they let me keep my good foot, right?” Thomas joked.
“I’m home, thank God,” he said. “It was a hard three days. The first two days, I was in a lot of pain. Walking into that hospital, I was very scared, but I had my loved ones with me. I’m happy to be out the hospital, man. Being in that hospital really just… I just wasn’t me.”
In the TikTok video posted on Thursday, the Are You the One? alum shared with a big smile on his face that he is happy to be home. Although he admitted that he was scared walking into the hospital and the three days he spent there were hard, Thomas was surrounded by his friends and family. This included his mom, who is seen lying next to him in bed in the video.
“I have to elevate my leg for the next six weeks, and I have to take a couple pills,” the 35-year-old said. “I gotta make sure I’m moving it so it doesn’t get stiff. Trust me, it is weird. I still don’t know how I feel but right now, I know I’m home and I’m happy and that’s all that matters.”
“I’m just gonna take it day by day and we’ll see how things go,” he said, telling his followers, “Thank you for all the support.”
@mtv_nelson Im home #amputee #belowkneeamputee #blessed ♬ original sound – Nelson Thomas
On March 5, 2023, Thomas was rescued by Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn and three civilians from a fiery car crash in Austin, Texas. This car accident left the reality TV personality needing to get three plates and 22 screws in his foot throughout the course of six surgeries. He tried everything from stem cell therapy to electrical stimulation to physical therapy but still was in pain. When his doctor told him that he had a nonunion bone, which meant it wasn’t going to heal, he made the decision to amputate.
“I’m at peace with it,” he said in an interview with People in February. “I’ve prayed about it. I’ve wrote in my journal, I’ve read books. I’ve done all my research that I can do. I’ve done everything I can to try to save my foot. There’s a lot of people out there, even friends, they’re calling me: ‘Nelson, you have a chance to keep your foot and look normal and walk around.’ But then you have to ask yourself, ‘What kind of quality of life do I want to live?’”
