Double amputee returns to skateboarding months after life-threatening illness

Double amputee returns to skateboarding

Just months after losing both legs to a rare and aggressive infection, 24-year-old Nigel Smith is back chasing the sport he loves: skateboarding.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Just months after losing both legs to a rare and aggressive infection, 24-year-old Nigel Smith is back chasing the sport he loves: skateboarding.

What we know:

Nigel Smith, 24, lost both of his legs below the knee in January after a rare strep infection led to sepsis and organ failure. Months later, he is back skateboarding thanks to intensive rehabilitation at Orlando Health’s Advanced Rehabilitation Institute. Using a zero-gravity harness system, therapists helped him regain balance, strength, and confidence.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear exactly how Smith contracted the infection or whether he had underlying conditions that contributed to the severity. Details about the long-term prognosis of his mobility or whether he’ll compete again in skateboarding are also unknown.

The backstory:

Smith’s health took a dramatic turn when what started as a bacterial infection quickly escalated into a life-threatening crisis. Faced with a decision between life and limb, he chose survival. His path from ICU recovery to a return to his passion highlights a personal story of determination and grit.

What they're saying:

Nigel Smith on accepting his condition: He underwent a double below-the-knee amputation in January after a life-threatening strep infection led to sepsis and organ failure. Doctors told him survival meant sacrificing his legs — a decision he says he accepted without hesitation.

"I came to terms with it quickly," Smith said. "It was either I lose my legs and keep my life or keep my legs and not have a life."

Now, thanks to months of intensive work at Orlando Health’s Advanced Rehabilitation Institute, Smith is back on the board. Therapists there rigged a zero-gravity harness system to help him relearn balance, rebuild strength and regain confidence.

"I wasn’t going to let me losing my feet stop me," he said.

Each movement requires more effort and concentration, but Smith says the experience has reshaped his outlook.

"It made me not take things for granted and to be grateful for the things you have," he said.

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