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Man Has Toes for Fingers After Accident

He lost most of his hand in an unguarded blending machine.

Seventeen years ago, Jeremy Payton was working as a factory manager when he lost most of his hand to the rotating blades of an unguarded blending machine.

According to the Daily Star, the machine ripped his fingers off of his hand as he reached to shut a discharge valve. A co-worker recovered his lost digits and put them on ice, and his middle and ring fingers were reattached, but they were lost to necrosis shortly thereafter.

Payton is now 55-years-old, and he has lived with the prospect of being permanently disabled for nearly 20 years. That was until surgeons came to him with a unique solution. They wanted to cut off his toes and attach them to his hands.

According to the Mirror, surgeons took the big toe from his left foot, and the second and third little toes from his right, and attached them to his hand.

After the procedure, Payton could once again perform basic tasks, like cutting vegetables, holding a cup of coffee, swinging a golf club, and even tying his shoes.

The story is reminiscent of Chris King the man who had a double hand transplant after he lost eight fingers and most of his palms to a pressing machine.

The miracles of modern medicine gave these men a new lease on life, but serve as a reminder of the importance of safety in the workplace.

This is IEN Now with David Mantey.

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