Trinidad and Tobago Cop Who Lost His Limb in Accident Back on Duty
After suffering a traumatic accident that caused him to lose his left leg, a police officer in Trinidad and Tobago has been able to get back to work, thanks to a computerized prosthetic leg provided by the police service.
Shane Smith, who is just 26 years old, says that the experience has opened many new opportunities for him. Despite the challenges he's faced, he's learned to make the most of the hand he's been dealt.
The accident
On March 26, 2020, Officer Smith, who had recently joined the Traffic and Highway Patrol Unit, was involved in an accident while on duty. Riding a motorbike, he skidded on some gravel and crashed into a lamppost, severing his left leg from the knee.
Kevon Neptune, who was driving a bus on the highway, stopped to help and took Smith to the hospital. There, the doctors offered to reattach his leg, but Smith declined as his knee was already shattered. He instructed them to amputate what was necessary instead.
Later that same day, Smith's wife went into labor and gave birth to their son in the same hospital. They named him Mercy to celebrate Smith's survival.
In an interview with Trinidad and Tobago Sunday Newsday, Smith shared that while it was not easy to adjust to life as an amputee, he had accepted his situation and made the best of it.
The amputee life
After the accident, Smith was led to renew his faith and opened an online clothing store. According to Smith, one of the hardest things about wearing a prosthetic leg is that he cannot play the sport he loves—cricket. Smith was a national cricketer, playing with cricketers like Anderson Phillip and Nicholas Pooran.
In the same interview with Sunday Newsday, Smith said that he still avoids watching cricket because he is still sad about being unable to play.
Despite missing cricket, Smith said that he loves his new life. “A lot of the time, we pay attention to the situation and problem we are experiencing. But if we look beyond that and have faith, we can overcome anything,” Smith said.
