Horrific Mower Accident: Leg Amputated on Montana 4-Year-Old

As a parent, this story breaks my heart.

A four-year-old Montana child faces a long road to recovery after a tragic lawn mower accident. Jaylon Littlewolf lost his foot while playing hide-and-seek with his grandfather on Friday, May 16th, in what is described as a freak accident.

Littlewolf, a huge Spider-Man fan, will be calling on his inner superhero for the foreseeable future. The child was initially life-flighted to St. Vincent Hospital in Billings before being flown to Salt Lake City, UT, for emergency surgery to amputate his left leg below the knee. He will be returning to Montana tonight (5/19) to continue his recovery.

Photo by Maciej Karoń on Unsplash

Every mother's nightmare.

In a few months, little Jaylon will be fitted for a prosthetic, according to details shared on a GoFundMe set up on his behalf. His mom said,

Watching my sweet, innocent boy go through this has been heartbreaking—it is something no child should ever have to endure. But there is no going back, only forward from here.

Jaylon's mom is a single parent, and his care requires 24-hour attention, making work nearly impossible. Funds raised will help his medical expenses, rehabilitation, and the prosthetic that will "help him continue exploring the world with the same excitement and wonder as before."

Jaylon Littlewolf faces a long road to recovery. Photo via GoFundMe

A University of Iowa report notes that approximately 10,000 children in the US are injured by lawn mower accidents each year. Lawn mowers are the number one cause of limb loss for children under age 10 in the United States. The stats have remained constant for nearly 40 years, with most injuries occurring when the operator of the mower is turning or reversing.