Merced firefighter back on the job after losing lower leg in motorcycle crash

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Merced firefighter has been done an incredible, life-changing travel aft his near limb was amputated pursuing a motorcycle mishap astir a twelvemonth ago.

"No substance what you spell through, immoderate cards you are dealt successful your life, if you privation it atrocious enough, you tin get backmost to immoderate it is that you privation to do," said Merced Firefighter, Rhett Avant.

This is the mindset of firefighter Rhett Avant; it helped him propulsion done an unexpected situation successful life.

In April of 2025, helium was riding his motorcycle to enactment erstwhile helium crashed.

At the hospital, his near ft was amputated, but Avant asked for much of his limb to beryllium removed due to the fact that the prosthetic options would springiness him a amended accidental to get backmost to enactment arsenic a firefighter.

"Once proceeding and talking to the professionals, and uncovering retired that yeah, I tin bash it with conscionable the ankle, but to instrumentality it up beneath the knee, it opens up opportunities and is benignant of a no-brainer," said Avant.

His person and chap firefighter, Billy Dickens, says the clang frightened everyone, but what didn't astonishment them was Rhett's determination to pivot and instrumentality to work.

"If anybody was going to bash it, it was going to beryllium that guy. When helium puts his caput to something, helium gets it done," said Billy Dickens.

February 18th marked his archetypal authoritative time backmost connected the occupation aft 2 months of airy duty.

Avant walked america done immoderate of the adjustments helium is getting utilized to, including his occurrence cogwheel and boots.

"You would conscionable measurement in, twist, and I'm locked in, and erstwhile I'm done, conscionable twist out," said Avant.

Getting to this constituent was not easy, Avant says his intelligence and carnal spot took time.
He was perpetually astatine a gym for amputees, focusing connected his caller mode of life.

"I'm the idiosyncratic that is always, 'I'm going to spell help, doesn't substance what it is, I americium going to spell help,' and to person to measurement backmost and swallow my pridefulness and go, I request the assistance this time, and they are doing it retired of love, that was a challenge," said Avant.

Avant is genuinely thankful to those who ne'er near his side, including his wife, family, friends, co-workers, and the assemblage that cheers him on.

"Very blessed to beryllium successful this situation, blessed to beryllium surrounded by the radical that I americium and person the household and friends and enactment that I have," said Avant.

He besides credits the firefighters helium connected with, who are successful Massachusetts and Florida, and are besides moving with an amputated leg.

"The brotherhood of the occurrence work doesn't conscionable agelong to here; it's nationwide," said Avant.

His contagious, affirmative vigor is thing Dickens says everyone tin instrumentality arsenic inspiration.

"You consciousness similar beingness is getting the champion of you but conscionable support that chin up and support moving forward," said Dickens.

A absorption Avant is much than acceptable for.

Despite what happened, Avant remains passionate astir riding and has a recently modified motorcycle.

He hopes his communicative volition animate anyone watching to enactment beardown done unexpected times and travel their dreams.

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