Kevin
“I hope I’m a positive example of what’s possible following an amputation.”
A sworn police officer for less than five years, Kevin Trees experienced a highlight of his life when he was recognized as the Louisville Metro Police Department’s 2002 Officer of the Year. Just three weeks later, however, he found himself in the fight of his life after crashing his motorcycle and nearly dying at the scene from his critical injuries.
Kevin suffered several broken bones, including a severely injured right leg that required multiple surgeries over the next two and a half years. When 33 surgeries didn’t resolve the problems, it was decided number 34 would be an amputation. The final surgery took place in October 2005 and Kevin was fitted with Otto Bock HealthCare’s C-Leg®, the world's first completely computer-controlled artificial leg.
Though many around him believed the loss of his leg almost certainly meant the end of his law enforcement career, Kevin refused to give up on the job he loved. His determination paid off, and just six months following his amputation he was back at work in full capacity.
Currently a pilot-in-training for his department, Kevin wants others facing similar situations to know, “Losing a limb isn’t the end of the road, and I’m proof it doesn’t have to mean the end of a career.”
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The C-Leg is revolutionary technology using on-board sensors and microprocessors to anticipate and adapt to a person's movement 50 times per second. The C-Leg immediately adjusts to changes in walking speed and direction and provides crucial knee stability the moment it is needed. These features allow Kevin to walk down stairs and ramps and maneuver rough terrain without the fear of falling.
