WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.603 --> 00:00:06.940 The merciless wild 2 00:00:07.273 --> 00:00:10.276 the heartless seems 3 00:00:10.443 --> 00:00:12.345 when nature unleashes her. 4 00:00:12.345 --> 00:00:13.246 Cool. 5 00:00:13.780 --> 00:00:15.882 Could you escape? 6 00:00:16.182 --> 00:00:19.119 Could you survive? 7 00:00:19.119 --> 00:00:20.787 These are the true stories 8 00:00:20.787 --> 00:00:23.656 of outdoorsmen confronted by death. 9 00:00:24.424 --> 00:00:27.727 Armed with raw courage and a will to live, 10 00:00:28.561 --> 00:00:30.630 they are the ones who beat the odds 11 00:00:32.132 --> 00:00:34.467 and return from their own fight 12 00:00:34.567 --> 00:00:37.037 to survive. 13 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:42.642 A family fishing trip 14 00:00:42.642 --> 00:00:45.311 turns into a bloody savage nightmare. 15 00:00:46.212 --> 00:00:48.782 Something grabs me on my right leg and immediately 16 00:00:48.782 --> 00:00:52.886 takes me under water. 17 00:00:52.886 --> 00:00:56.890 A £500 bull shark is clamped on Craig Prado's leg 18 00:00:57.924 --> 00:00:59.993 and the beast isn't letting go. 19 00:01:01.194 --> 00:01:03.430 The look on his face. 20 00:01:03.430 --> 00:01:05.465 It was just terror. 21 00:01:05.732 --> 00:01:07.901 A trail of blood to the shore 22 00:01:08.501 --> 00:01:12.572 leads to an agonizing choice between life or limb. 23 00:01:13.039 --> 00:01:15.175 Please don't let them take my leg. 24 00:01:15.175 --> 00:01:18.511 When life hangs in the balance, what does it take 25 00:01:18.778 --> 00:01:27.620 to survive? 26 00:01:27.620 --> 00:01:30.790 The June 2005, 27 00:01:31.458 --> 00:01:34.727 the annual Hutton family vacation and fishing trip 28 00:01:36.362 --> 00:01:37.230 this year? 29 00:01:37.230 --> 00:01:40.033 It's Cape Sandblast on the Florida Panhandle. 30 00:01:41.501 --> 00:01:44.003 It's just a strip with condos on either side. 31 00:01:44.337 --> 00:01:47.774 And there was maybe one restaurant and a gas station and a bait shop. 32 00:01:48.241 --> 00:01:49.242 That was it. 33 00:01:50.243 --> 00:01:53.246 16 year old Craig and his 25 year old brother 34 00:01:53.246 --> 00:01:56.282 Brian are looking forward to spending time together. 35 00:01:56.282 --> 00:01:59.552 Surf casting off the beach. 36 00:02:01.387 --> 00:02:03.423 The brothers grew up fishing, 37 00:02:03.423 --> 00:02:07.160 pulling bluegill out of the lakes and rivers near their home in Tennessee. 38 00:02:08.128 --> 00:02:11.131 This time they'd have to try a new challenge. 39 00:02:12.031 --> 00:02:15.101 My fishing's always been out of a river or from a boat. 40 00:02:15.101 --> 00:02:19.105 And so when I saw the surf fisherman, it would bait. 41 00:02:19.105 --> 00:02:21.908 And I would go out, stand on the sandbar and just watch him. 42 00:02:21.908 --> 00:02:29.916 So I was like, that's that's something that we could handle. 43 00:02:29.916 --> 00:02:34.320 And we would hook up with frozen shrimp on the beach, attach it to the pole. 44 00:02:34.320 --> 00:02:36.389 And then we would, however, hold the pole above our head. 45 00:02:36.856 --> 00:02:39.225 Once we got on the sandbar, it was maybe knee deep. 46 00:02:39.893 --> 00:02:42.929 And so we were just stand there and just throw it as far as we could 47 00:02:43.463 --> 00:02:44.464 and let it settle. 48 00:02:44.464 --> 00:02:48.001 And then usually within a matter of a minute or so, we'd have a fish on. 49 00:02:49.936 --> 00:02:52.772 And oh my gosh. 50 00:02:52.772 --> 00:02:54.941 We'll try it. 51 00:02:54.941 --> 00:02:57.010 And then we both would come back to the shore 52 00:02:57.377 --> 00:03:01.781 and mom and Dad would take pictures of it, and we release the fish 53 00:03:01.781 --> 00:03:05.518 and rebate the hook and then fall back out to the sandbar. 54 00:03:06.419 --> 00:03:09.489 Craig and Brian follow the same routine for hours 55 00:03:09.489 --> 00:03:12.725 each day of the vacation. 56 00:03:17.030 --> 00:03:18.932 On the third day of the trip. 57 00:03:18.932 --> 00:03:22.902 Monday, June 27th, 2005. 58 00:03:22.902 --> 00:03:25.271 The family heads out early. 59 00:03:25.271 --> 00:03:28.942 It's an overcast day and there's hardly anyone on the beach. 60 00:03:29.676 --> 00:03:34.214 The brothers also notice that the surf is churning up a lot of sand. 61 00:03:34.847 --> 00:03:38.251 The clarity of the water was it was it was terrible. 62 00:03:38.318 --> 00:03:40.653 You could probably see about a foot. 63 00:03:40.653 --> 00:03:43.156 And then that would be it. 64 00:03:43.156 --> 00:03:46.526 Really had no perception of what was under you 65 00:03:46.526 --> 00:03:49.095 or what might touch your leg or anything. 66 00:03:49.896 --> 00:03:54.033 But the murky water starts yielding the best catches of the trip so far. 67 00:03:54.767 --> 00:03:56.035 Right when we passed, 68 00:03:56.035 --> 00:04:00.273 we'd catch something within 5 seconds and this went on for 45 minutes. 69 00:04:00.907 --> 00:04:03.176 I think it's around 930 and 1030. 70 00:04:03.176 --> 00:04:05.578 Brian caught a fish that was probably the biggest fish 71 00:04:05.578 --> 00:04:07.447 that either of us have caught since we've been there. 72 00:04:07.447 --> 00:04:12.018 And so, of course, me being a competitive type, I immediately 73 00:04:12.018 --> 00:04:15.154 got frustrated and mad because I thought that I could catch one bigger than him. 74 00:04:15.154 --> 00:04:19.125 And so after after Brian was a superstar and taking all the pictures 75 00:04:19.125 --> 00:04:22.095 and all that stuff, I was trying to force him to go back out 76 00:04:22.095 --> 00:04:24.364 because I knew that I could catch one bigger than him. 77 00:04:25.498 --> 00:04:27.300 I could tell Craig was pretty fired up 78 00:04:27.300 --> 00:04:30.036 because I remember I was like, Come on, let's go, let's go. 79 00:04:33.239 --> 00:04:35.408 The decision to wade back out 80 00:04:35.775 --> 00:04:38.011 would change their lives forever. 81 00:04:39.445 --> 00:04:41.914 Lurking in the waters of this part of Florida 82 00:04:42.348 --> 00:04:45.251 are the most aggressive and deadly sharks in the world. 83 00:04:46.019 --> 00:04:49.188 The bull shark and bull sharks 84 00:04:49.422 --> 00:04:53.726 loved to cruise in warm, shallow water as they head back out. 85 00:04:54.027 --> 00:04:57.597 Brian is slightly ahead and ten feet to the right of Craig. 86 00:04:58.531 --> 00:05:02.502 They move towards a little gully and start to drop down into it. 87 00:05:02.869 --> 00:05:07.206 The water was probably about a couple of inches above my belly button 88 00:05:07.840 --> 00:05:10.443 and all of a sudden out of nowhere. 89 00:05:10.543 --> 00:05:15.248 It feels like a punch on my left side and the water's murky. 90 00:05:15.481 --> 00:05:18.151 Don't know what it is. 91 00:05:18.251 --> 00:05:21.287 I remember that he just did this. Whoa. 92 00:05:21.287 --> 00:05:21.921 What was that? 93 00:05:22.955 --> 00:05:24.524 The vacation 94 00:05:25.391 --> 00:05:28.428 is over, 95 00:05:28.428 --> 00:05:33.733 right? 96 00:05:35.768 --> 00:05:36.903 Oh, yeah. 97 00:05:36.903 --> 00:05:38.438 I'm on a vacation. 98 00:05:38.438 --> 00:05:41.641 Craig and Brian Otto are enjoying a day of fishing 99 00:05:41.641 --> 00:05:44.010 in the surf off Cape Sandblast, Florida. 100 00:05:45.545 --> 00:05:49.649 But unimaginable danger lurks. 101 00:05:50.416 --> 00:05:53.686 Suddenly, Craig feels something like a punch 102 00:05:53.853 --> 00:05:56.823 hitting his left leg. 103 00:05:58.558 --> 00:05:59.525 Waters murky. 104 00:05:59.525 --> 00:06:00.560 Don't know what it is. 105 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:02.895 And so I immediately jump back. 106 00:06:03.830 --> 00:06:04.597 Then. 107 00:06:04.597 --> 00:06:11.270 Terror strikes. 108 00:06:11.270 --> 00:06:14.540 Something grabbed me on my right leg. 109 00:06:14.540 --> 00:06:18.444 Immediately I went straight into shot. 110 00:06:18.611 --> 00:06:20.580 I vividly remember that. 111 00:06:20.580 --> 00:06:24.717 The only thing that I was thinking was, Oh, Craig, this is a dream. 112 00:06:24.717 --> 00:06:28.020 You have to wake up right now. 113 00:06:29.288 --> 00:06:33.059 A £500 bull shark is clamped on Brian's leg 114 00:06:33.393 --> 00:06:36.729 and it's pulling him out to sea. 115 00:06:36.896 --> 00:06:41.200 When he disappeared at the tail end of, the shark rolled up. 116 00:06:41.768 --> 00:06:44.437 And at that moment, I just started yelling. 117 00:06:45.104 --> 00:06:46.672 I remember yelling, Shark. 118 00:06:46.672 --> 00:06:48.074 I remember yelling. Out on one 119 00:06:49.208 --> 00:06:50.710 knee. 120 00:06:52.211 --> 00:06:53.379 Brian rushes towards 121 00:06:53.379 --> 00:06:55.515 the murderous shark to save his brother. 122 00:06:56.549 --> 00:06:59.852 He goes under and then he pops back up and he just looks at me 123 00:06:59.852 --> 00:07:03.322 and he just yells, Help me scream, just screaming. 124 00:07:03.456 --> 00:07:07.960 And the only thing I saw was a pool of blood. 125 00:07:08.294 --> 00:07:11.130 And I didn't even see a fan, didn't even say 126 00:07:11.130 --> 00:07:13.633 anything. 127 00:07:16.169 --> 00:07:20.072 Brian just comes up and and he takes his right arm and puts 128 00:07:20.072 --> 00:07:23.142 it under under both my armpits and across my chest. 129 00:07:24.410 --> 00:07:26.913 Craig As he's thrashing at the water, 130 00:07:27.413 --> 00:07:31.350 the look on his face, it was just terror. 131 00:07:32.351 --> 00:07:36.589 The shark is not letting go. 132 00:07:37.690 --> 00:07:41.828 It literally felt like I was pulling a dump truck. 133 00:07:42.094 --> 00:07:45.465 I don't know that the shark was fighting against us, but we're just pulling away. 134 00:07:45.465 --> 00:07:50.937 The shark, the way to Craig to get the waves going back and forth like you 135 00:07:52.104 --> 00:07:52.872 know, 136 00:07:55.508 --> 00:07:57.610 it took 12 days 137 00:07:57.610 --> 00:08:01.481 to get from that going to the beach. 138 00:08:01.481 --> 00:08:04.951 And now this whole time the shark is still on my leg. 139 00:08:06.419 --> 00:08:08.521 Both brothers operate on pure instinct. 140 00:08:08.688 --> 00:08:11.924 Right or wrong. 141 00:08:11.924 --> 00:08:13.693 If I didn't know anything about 142 00:08:13.693 --> 00:08:16.496 when you get attacked by sharks, you must gouge the eyes of 143 00:08:17.597 --> 00:08:18.231 Craig. 144 00:08:18.231 --> 00:08:20.566 Only has one thought in his mind. 145 00:08:20.566 --> 00:08:22.101 I need to get this shark off my leg. 146 00:08:22.101 --> 00:08:25.538 And so I reach my hand down in hopes of trying 147 00:08:25.538 --> 00:08:28.774 to open the shark's mouth and releasing it off my leg. 148 00:08:29.442 --> 00:08:32.979 But the sharks, razor sharp teeth rip into Craig's has. 149 00:08:34.213 --> 00:08:36.482 A left hand is basically shredded. 150 00:08:36.482 --> 00:08:39.986 And then my right hand was fin on my index and middle finger. 151 00:08:40.653 --> 00:08:42.021 With every heartbeat. 152 00:08:42.021 --> 00:08:44.957 The little blood Craig has left is being pumped out 153 00:08:44.957 --> 00:08:47.760 through the severed femoral artery in his right leg. 154 00:08:48.628 --> 00:08:51.564 All that was in the water was probably about three and a half foot 155 00:08:52.098 --> 00:08:56.102 span of blood and a trail of bright red blood. 156 00:08:56.102 --> 00:08:58.671 All the way back. 157 00:09:03.509 --> 00:09:04.577 The brothers dad, 158 00:09:04.577 --> 00:09:08.147 Roger Hondo, rushes out to help his son's. 159 00:09:10.082 --> 00:09:12.618 You both grab me under my arms 160 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:15.054 and the shark still on my leg. 161 00:09:16.055 --> 00:09:18.424 Brian reacts with irrational fury. 162 00:09:19.191 --> 00:09:20.560 Just turn my body around. 163 00:09:20.560 --> 00:09:22.862 And that shark still there. 164 00:09:23.162 --> 00:09:25.464 I remember I just started punching. 165 00:09:25.464 --> 00:09:26.599 It's kind of like punching a bag. 166 00:09:26.599 --> 00:09:28.301 A quick creak. 167 00:09:28.301 --> 00:09:31.571 It's just really, really hard and sort of abrasive. 168 00:09:32.204 --> 00:09:34.540 And I don't think it made any difference whatsoever. 169 00:09:34.574 --> 00:09:40.046 I think it was just through it spun around and took off. 170 00:09:45.117 --> 00:09:46.686 Craig is dragged up 171 00:09:46.686 --> 00:09:49.555 out of the water as Brian collapses. 172 00:09:50.823 --> 00:09:55.928 Brian reflects for a moment about his life saving actions. 173 00:09:56.095 --> 00:09:57.930 Luckily, I didn't have time to think 174 00:09:57.930 --> 00:10:00.333 my rational brain would, said your wife, seven months pregnant 175 00:10:00.566 --> 00:10:01.467 and she's on the beach. 176 00:10:02.568 --> 00:10:03.836 And if you're 177 00:10:03.836 --> 00:10:06.038 really thinking about this, you're swimming towards 178 00:10:07.273 --> 00:10:08.341 something that's buried. 179 00:10:08.341 --> 00:10:09.642 I mean, it just eats. 180 00:10:09.642 --> 00:10:12.445 It's all does it eats. 181 00:10:14.580 --> 00:10:16.182 Sort of went through a range of emotions 182 00:10:16.182 --> 00:10:20.586 there, just from anger to relief that we're on the beach. 183 00:10:20.586 --> 00:10:24.457 And then, you know, that spilled over into just volunteers 184 00:10:25.024 --> 00:10:34.333 who get attacked by a shark. 185 00:10:36.235 --> 00:10:40.339 911 has been called, but with a severed femoral artery. 186 00:10:40.539 --> 00:10:43.909 Craig will most likely die before the ambulance arrives. 187 00:10:44.176 --> 00:10:46.679 He needs a miracle and. 188 00:10:46.679 --> 00:10:48.581 He gets one. The miracle of that. 189 00:10:48.581 --> 00:10:52.451 There were three nurses on the beach that morning, was just on medication 190 00:10:52.451 --> 00:10:53.352 like we were. 191 00:10:53.352 --> 00:10:57.323 And they immediately came over and did exactly what they were trying to do. 192 00:10:58.557 --> 00:11:01.861 Craig is extremely short of breath and ghostly white. 193 00:11:02.395 --> 00:11:03.863 Somebody call an ambulance. 194 00:11:03.863 --> 00:11:04.296 I didn't know 195 00:11:04.296 --> 00:11:08.534 at the time that this was symptoms of someone who has severe bleeding. 196 00:11:08.567 --> 00:11:13.305 We didn't know that I was I was that close to dying at that moment. So 197 00:11:14.473 --> 00:11:15.508 stay with me, okay? 198 00:11:15.508 --> 00:11:18.110 How do you feel as the nurses work to stop the bleeding? 199 00:11:18.411 --> 00:11:21.814 Brian flags down the EMT. 200 00:11:21.814 --> 00:11:23.049 So I was in shock. 201 00:11:23.049 --> 00:11:25.017 So I didn't feel any pain from the shark. 202 00:11:25.017 --> 00:11:26.452 Biting me about the pain 203 00:11:26.452 --> 00:11:30.289 that I did feel is when someone's putting pressure on your artery. 204 00:11:30.289 --> 00:11:33.426 And I mean, I don't think any type of shock can cover that pain. 205 00:11:34.794 --> 00:11:37.663 As I remember my dad saying, we just don't know how bad it is. 206 00:11:38.130 --> 00:11:41.701 The blood loss was was pretty big and he was fine. 207 00:11:42.301 --> 00:11:45.137 Now a medevac helicopter is rushing to the scene, 208 00:11:45.571 --> 00:11:48.107 but Craig Hutton is losing the fight. 209 00:11:49.442 --> 00:11:58.350 They were. 210 00:12:01.087 --> 00:12:02.688 Craig Hotto has been attacked 211 00:12:02.688 --> 00:12:06.592 by a £500 bull shark 212 00:12:09.662 --> 00:12:12.031 and he's lost half the blood in his body. 213 00:12:12.965 --> 00:12:15.034 His life is slipping away. 214 00:12:15.935 --> 00:12:17.937 The nurses were having a hard time keeping him stable, 215 00:12:18.504 --> 00:12:20.506 and I think that's really when it set in. 216 00:12:20.506 --> 00:12:23.476 We just need to start saying our prayers that that 217 00:12:23.476 --> 00:12:37.656 he makes it through. 218 00:12:39.959 --> 00:12:42.128 When Craig regains consciousness, 219 00:12:42.128 --> 00:12:44.430 his hands and leg are heavily bandaged. 220 00:12:45.731 --> 00:12:49.502 For some reason, I wake up and I say, Mom, please don't let them take my leg. 221 00:12:49.902 --> 00:12:52.404 And so when I said that, mom, she didn't know how to answer. 222 00:12:52.404 --> 00:12:55.441 So she just basically starts crying and walks out of the room. 223 00:12:56.075 --> 00:12:58.410 The huddle was ask the hospital chaplain 224 00:12:58.711 --> 00:13:02.548 to break the terrible news to Craig. 225 00:13:03.048 --> 00:13:08.821 His leg is gone, 226 00:13:08.821 --> 00:13:11.323 but Craig is still not out of the woods. 227 00:13:12.691 --> 00:13:16.729 He urgently needs to undergo a series of agonizing operation days 228 00:13:16.962 --> 00:13:21.033 to stabilize his severed leg and repair his mangled hands. 229 00:13:21.700 --> 00:13:23.936 So I'd have surgery. 230 00:13:23.936 --> 00:13:25.538 I'd be addressed the next day. 231 00:13:25.538 --> 00:13:27.840 And the next day I'd have another surgery 232 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:31.177 and rest the next day, have another surgery, dress the next day. 233 00:13:31.677 --> 00:13:33.813 His family is there around the clock. 234 00:13:34.914 --> 00:13:35.881 But still, Craig's 235 00:13:35.881 --> 00:13:39.018 struggles to keep his spirits up. 236 00:13:39.018 --> 00:13:41.320 I was asking like, why me? 237 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:42.388 How did I get here? 238 00:13:42.388 --> 00:13:44.490 Like, what did I do wrong to deserve this? 239 00:13:45.124 --> 00:13:47.626 Brian sees a very broken brother slipping 240 00:13:47.626 --> 00:13:50.763 into a dark place emotionally. 241 00:13:50.763 --> 00:13:52.665 I was just sulking and he was. 242 00:13:52.665 --> 00:13:54.967 Say, you just said, quit being a baby. 243 00:13:54.967 --> 00:13:57.169 You've gone through the wars. You're still here. 244 00:13:57.169 --> 00:14:00.039 Well, now that I use baby, I think I totally pry and I just suck it up. 245 00:14:00.773 --> 00:14:02.808 I wanted him to just not give up 246 00:14:03.542 --> 00:14:08.480 because he had it within him. 247 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:10.082 To make matters worse. 248 00:14:10.082 --> 00:14:12.451 After nine days and four surgeries, 249 00:14:12.852 --> 00:14:16.322 the hospital has to be evacuated for Hurricane Cindy. 250 00:14:17.690 --> 00:14:19.892 Craig is airlifted closer to home 251 00:14:20.292 --> 00:14:23.095 to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital in Nashville, 252 00:14:23.095 --> 00:14:26.198 Tennessee. 253 00:14:26.599 --> 00:14:29.902 At Vanderbilt, he endures three more surgeries 254 00:14:29.902 --> 00:14:34.240 to graft skin from his left thigh onto the bottom of his amputation. 255 00:14:35.608 --> 00:14:38.410 Finally, after another ten days in the hospital, 256 00:14:38.711 --> 00:14:42.147 he sent home to recover. 257 00:14:42.781 --> 00:14:45.684 That whole period was hard psychologically 258 00:14:45.684 --> 00:14:47.720 for me, just because I had never, 259 00:14:48.821 --> 00:14:52.625 never required somebody unzip our pants to help me use the restroom 260 00:14:52.892 --> 00:14:55.294 and then turn around and pick up a fort 261 00:14:55.694 --> 00:14:57.930 to feed me. 262 00:15:01.634 --> 00:15:03.269 While he's recuperating. 263 00:15:03.269 --> 00:15:08.107 Craig gets a visit from two strangers who would become lifelong friends 264 00:15:08.607 --> 00:15:11.577 John Cecily Yano and Sarah Rhinestone 265 00:15:11.977 --> 00:15:14.947 amputees and competitive athletes. 266 00:15:15.781 --> 00:15:19.251 They actually flew out from California basically to let me know that 267 00:15:19.251 --> 00:15:22.488 just because this happened to you doesn't mean that's the end of your life. 268 00:15:22.488 --> 00:15:25.925 You're still going to be able to do whatever you want. 269 00:15:26.492 --> 00:15:31.130 In fact, just five months after the shark attack, Craig goes to La Jolla, 270 00:15:31.130 --> 00:15:33.799 California, as John and Sarah's guest 271 00:15:34.166 --> 00:15:38.537 to watch the challenged athlete triathlon. 272 00:15:41.340 --> 00:15:41.941 It was awesome. 273 00:15:41.941 --> 00:15:45.010 It is people that have injuries that have a mind, 274 00:15:45.010 --> 00:15:48.047 a shame that we're doing much more than what I even thought I could do. 275 00:15:48.380 --> 00:15:52.051 And so after I saw that, I mean, I made up my mind. 276 00:15:52.117 --> 00:15:54.119 I like this is something that I want to do. 277 00:15:54.453 --> 00:15:55.621 Well, how are you guys doing? 278 00:15:55.621 --> 00:15:57.990 Spectators. Lawyer Good morning. 279 00:15:58.490 --> 00:16:06.732 Yeah. 280 00:16:07.199 --> 00:16:09.601 Craig then suffers the painful process 281 00:16:09.768 --> 00:16:11.870 of being fitted for an artificial leg. 282 00:16:13.405 --> 00:16:14.974 I had to go through 283 00:16:14.974 --> 00:16:20.212 at least 12 different sockets, socket fittings, because on your prosthetic, 284 00:16:20.312 --> 00:16:23.215 like, your socket needs to be perfect. 285 00:16:24.283 --> 00:16:26.485 His doctor gets the fit, right. 286 00:16:26.485 --> 00:16:29.054 But it's still what's called a passive prosthesis. 287 00:16:29.521 --> 00:16:31.056 An artificial limb. 288 00:16:31.056 --> 00:16:34.927 Your hip has to basically drag around. 289 00:16:35.728 --> 00:16:38.230 Craig Masters, the new leg. 290 00:16:38.230 --> 00:16:42.901 Then he gets a life changing phone call just before high school graduation. 291 00:16:43.469 --> 00:16:46.105 It was cutting edge technology, and I thought that it was going to 292 00:16:46.238 --> 00:16:50.843 it would be cool to be the front runner for this. 293 00:16:51.410 --> 00:17:02.521 Craig Otto is about to make medical history. 294 00:17:02.588 --> 00:17:07.960 Since 2007, shark attack victim Craig Haddow has spent hundreds of hours 295 00:17:08.193 --> 00:17:11.263 helping the Vanderbilt University Prosthesis program. 296 00:17:12.064 --> 00:17:16.068 Vanderbilt University's mechanical and electrical engineering program. 297 00:17:17.002 --> 00:17:19.538 They were creating a new type of prosthetic leg, 298 00:17:19.838 --> 00:17:23.942 and so they were looking for test subjects around the Nashville area 299 00:17:23.942 --> 00:17:27.446 that would be interested in helping them. 300 00:17:27.513 --> 00:17:29.748 Professor of Mechanical Engineering Dr. 301 00:17:29.748 --> 00:17:33.585 Michael Goldfarb and his team have created a robotic limb 302 00:17:33.585 --> 00:17:36.221 they call the Vanderbilt powered prosthesis. 303 00:17:36.855 --> 00:17:39.391 They need someone to road test it. 304 00:17:39.391 --> 00:17:42.361 It's been really exciting working with them because I'm kind of the 305 00:17:42.928 --> 00:17:46.632 I guess I'm kind of the lab rat. 306 00:17:46.899 --> 00:17:49.701 The Vanderbilt powered prosthesis is constructed 307 00:17:49.701 --> 00:17:53.005 of aluminum alloy and weighs only about £9. 308 00:17:54.540 --> 00:17:56.475 The leg is battery operated 309 00:17:56.475 --> 00:18:00.312 with a power system that is based on the one used in hybrid automobiles. 310 00:18:02.114 --> 00:18:04.383 This prosthesis uses advanced 311 00:18:04.383 --> 00:18:08.153 transmission mechanisms and electrical motors to move the knee 312 00:18:08.153 --> 00:18:11.023 and ankle joints independently with power 313 00:18:11.490 --> 00:18:14.393 the way a real leg moves. 314 00:18:14.393 --> 00:18:16.228 The robotic leg mimics human 315 00:18:16.228 --> 00:18:20.899 biomarker Onyx and allows amputees to walk without the characteristic leg 316 00:18:20.899 --> 00:18:25.637 dragging gait of conventional artificial legs. 317 00:18:25.804 --> 00:18:29.608 A prosthesis is embedded with software that programs itself 318 00:18:29.875 --> 00:18:31.977 based on the wearer's movements. 319 00:18:31.977 --> 00:18:34.780 In other words, the artificial leg is learning 320 00:18:34.780 --> 00:18:38.250 from Craig's able body. 321 00:18:38.350 --> 00:18:42.955 And so with our leg, I'm able to walk up stairs as well as slopes. 322 00:18:43.555 --> 00:18:47.826 I'm just extremely fortunate that I had this opportunity. 323 00:18:53.332 --> 00:18:53.665 Craig 324 00:18:53.665 --> 00:18:57.136 also pursues his education, and in 2011 325 00:18:57.336 --> 00:19:01.940 he graduates from Middle Tennessee State University. 326 00:19:02.040 --> 00:19:06.678 When I got to college and was thinking of what I should major 327 00:19:06.678 --> 00:19:10.816 in, it was really not even a decision because I realized that nurses 328 00:19:10.816 --> 00:19:14.219 had saved my life and I felt like I had to give something back. 329 00:19:14.853 --> 00:19:19.892 And so I went to the nursing program at MTSU and got my R.N. 330 00:19:19.892 --> 00:19:21.293 license. 331 00:19:21.293 --> 00:19:24.763 I'm currently getting my master's Vanderbilt University 332 00:19:24.763 --> 00:19:29.067 to become an acute care nurse practitioner. 333 00:19:31.270 --> 00:19:34.907 Oh, and as for that promise he made to himself 334 00:19:34.907 --> 00:19:38.877 back on the beach in La Hoya, watching the challenged athlete triathlon. 335 00:19:39.411 --> 00:19:42.114 Craig goes one better. 336 00:19:42.114 --> 00:19:45.384 He and his brother Brian and their middle brother Zachary 337 00:19:45.684 --> 00:19:48.420 all train together to compete as a team 338 00:19:48.654 --> 00:19:53.225 in the San Diego Triathlon Challenge. 339 00:19:53.492 --> 00:19:57.429 Trying to get his wetsuit, he got in the pool and and we got out there. 340 00:19:57.429 --> 00:19:59.531 And I remember looking in the water thinking 341 00:20:01.066 --> 00:20:03.969 this is going to be tough. 342 00:20:03.969 --> 00:20:06.104 It just seemed really challenging. 343 00:20:07.072 --> 00:20:10.642 Tom was one leg swimming in the ocean for the first time. 344 00:20:12.044 --> 00:20:14.813 Once I got in the water and 345 00:20:14.813 --> 00:20:18.884 it kind of all hit me like, whoa, this is squatter's, a little murky. 346 00:20:18.884 --> 00:20:20.719 And the horn rang. 347 00:20:20.719 --> 00:20:24.656 And basically it was an H on the swim wall by two miles. 348 00:20:24.656 --> 00:20:26.858 So it went it went off. 349 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:30.796 It was an emotional time while he was in that water. 350 00:20:31.063 --> 00:20:33.832 And then they let us go down to the beach when he came out. 351 00:20:34.299 --> 00:20:37.135 And that comes out and he gets his crutches. 352 00:20:37.135 --> 00:20:41.139 And I was just so choked up and so proud of him 353 00:20:42.541 --> 00:20:43.075 because he. 354 00:20:43.075 --> 00:20:45.744 Came full circle. 355 00:20:49.615 --> 00:20:50.749 Craig Hotto 356 00:20:50.749 --> 00:20:53.585 has developed an inspirational outlook on life. 357 00:20:53.719 --> 00:20:56.955 It taught me how fragile life is, but it also 358 00:20:56.955 --> 00:20:59.224 it also taught me like how resilient 359 00:21:00.259 --> 00:21:02.361 we as humans are. 360 00:21:02.361 --> 00:21:05.063 Yeah, it has taught me not to take things for granted. 361 00:21:05.330 --> 00:21:09.468 I mean, something as simple as walking that's second nature to people to be alone 362 00:21:09.468 --> 00:21:10.102 and think about. 363 00:21:10.102 --> 00:21:14.339 But when when you're not able to do it and you have to actually think 364 00:21:14.339 --> 00:21:18.343 every time you take a step continuously, every time you kind of learn 365 00:21:18.510 --> 00:21:20.612 to appreciate the small things in life. 366 00:21:21.780 --> 00:21:23.181 Bad things are going to happen. 367 00:21:23.181 --> 00:21:25.651 That's just life. 368 00:21:25.651 --> 00:21:27.986 What you make of them, that's completely your decision. 369 00:21:28.620 --> 00:21:31.023 And out of something very, very bad. 370 00:21:31.957 --> 00:21:34.760 Craig Hutto has made something very good 371 00:21:35.027 --> 00:21:43.335 indeed.