The machine jammed again, nothing new. A coworker at the medical supply factory called him over and asked his help to pull out the bunched material.
In the midst of the holiday season on December 4th, 2020, Trevor was working as a technician in a warehouse. In the thick of COVID, the warehouse was deemed essential, producing disposable medical supplies and PPE. “This one machine feeds Velcro through, cuts, and seals it into straps. The Velcro bunched in the machine, so the operator called me over to repair it. I started unscrewing something and unfortunately, without thinking she turned the machine on, starting the blade that cut a tendon on my pointer finger, took off two fingers, and crushed my pinkie.”
Surgery was scheduled immediately once he arrived at the hospital. However, he would not be able to have family or friends to comfort him. He tested positive for COVID in the hospital. After surgery, Trevor was quarantined in his apartment with his girlfriend for two weeks. As many were at the time, he struggled with the distance of family and friends. Having experienced a horrific trauma coinciding with unprecedented times of quarantine he leaned on his girlfriend who helped him through the recovery process.
A few weeks later on Christmas Day he came across an online interview with Natasha Baggett, NPChampion Ambassador. He reached out to her directly with his curiosity and interest in the devices. “When I first saw the video of Natasha on Gemology, I immediately felt inspired. My accident had only happened less than a month ago, but for the first time since the accident I had something to look forward to and be excited about. I didn’t just have to think about what I had lost, but got to think about what could come from it.”
With the continued lockdowns, his hand therapist Jessica would be one of the few people he would see consistently. “We became friends. She had attended a conference where Naked Prosthetics were featured so she reached out to your Customer Experience team who connected us with Hanger Clinic.” Jason Prescott, Certified Prosthetist at Hanger Prosthetics, worked with his therapist and NP to order his device.
“The physical inadequacies are easy to see, but the mental ones were way worse for me. I feared putting my hands anywhere, afraid of how fragile I felt after my accident. I hated going to drive-thrus and sticking out my incomplete hand. I was heartbroken every time I dropped something by accident. Having my MCPDriver helped me get the confidence back to feel like I can do those things. I was no longer afraid of life.”
After the accident, the environment of the warehouse was no longer a good fit. Trevor found a new job working for a construction management firm where he spends most of his day typing up documents. “It was a struggle for me. I didn’t want to sell myself short with my new limits, but I also didn’t want to overdo it. I was afraid of not being able to do something I could do before the accident.” One day he would like to go back to a more hands-on job. With the help of his device, he has more confidence that this will come sooner than later.
His ultimate dream of becoming a firefighter was delayed due to COVID while he needed to ensure job security like many others. “It’s the what ifs. You visualize your life with all ten fingers and so when that changes and you no longer fit that image, it makes you rethink your future.” After spending time getting to know Trevor, we truly believe he can do anything he puts his mind to. When he talks about his accident he doesn’t dwell on the details, rather, he speaks to the need for representation in this community and with NPChampions hopes to help others reach the point where they embrace their journey and future.
