After losing her leg in a lawnmower accident, 3-year-old Abigail Reardon‘s mom says she’s doing “far better than all the adults in her life.” In an interview with Boston 25 News, Sarah Reardon says her daughter is doing well while recovering following the accident that occurred on August 22.
Thankfully, Abby has overcome a bacterial and fungal infection as a result of her wounds, according to a GoFundMe account created for her, and has graduated from taking five different medications. Now, she managing and learning how to do life after needing to have her left leg amputated from her mid-calf down. “She’s not in a lot of pain day-to-day,” Sarah revealed to 25 News.
Resilient 3-Year-Old on the Mend After Lawnmower Takes Leg
As far as what happened that August afternoon, the mom said it all transpired “very quickly.” To put it simply, “[Abby]was out playing and the lawnmower was put into reverse and she was there.”
Following the traumatic accident, the 3-year-old was quickly rushed to Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, Massachusettes, where she underwent five surgeries before being able to go back home. “She’s got an amazing, determined, resilient little spirit. Her ability to just overcome whatever is thrown at her, and I believe in her. I know she can do it,” Sarah told 25 News.
The identity of the driver of the lawnmower is not being revealed. But now, Sarah wants to share Abby’s story because 9,000 kids a year are involved in lawnmower accidents. “They’re obviously very dangerous machines,” Sarah said. “I’ve learned way more statistics than I wanted to about what happens to over 9,000 children a year.”
Now, Sarah has created a GoFundMe account to help pay for the prosthetic leg and therapy Abby will eventually need. So far, people have donated over $70,000 over $100,000 they are trying to raise. “Whether it’s $5 or $1,000, I make a personal effort to thank each person,” the mom admitted.
“She will need many prosthetic leg fittings over the course of the next 15+ years, or until she’s done growing. As the bones in her amputated leg grow, it’s likely the skin won’t stretch fast enough to keep up, so she’s expected to go through many procedures to ‘shorten the bone’ as she grows. When she is done growing, she’ll continue to need a new prosthetic every 5 years or so – the prostheses wear out or need adjusting frequently.”
GoFundMe
So while Abby has been resilient and amazing during this very trying time, there is still a long road ahead of her. And as a result, we hope she never loses that adorable smile she wears so effortlessly.