Nelson Thomas Will Have His Foot Amputated a Year After Car Crash

Nelson Thomas has been forced to make an unfortunate decision following his fiery car crash last year: He will need to amputate his foot.

After the accident, Nelson underwent a series of surgeries to help fix broken bones, including his ankle. In September 2023, he stated his foot wasn’t healing, and this left him with the option of amputating the foot or getting an ankle fusion. Initially, Nelson wanted to try alternate approaches, like stem cell treatments, but it appears those have been unsuccessful.

About eight months after the accident, he was charged with a DWI pertaining to the incident. Since then, he’s continue to work to rehabilitate his body and he’s addressed the incident on Instagram. He stated his regrets for being involved in a drunk driving accident, has worked toward self-forgiveness, and has issued refunds to people who contributed to his GoFundMe and requested them.

Since then, Nelson seems to be staying on top of his fitness and trying to find light in this dark situation. He continues to receive support for many Challenge alum.

Nelson opted to schedule the amputation on March 5, 2024 — exactly one year after the accident. He has spoken to many doctors, exhausted his options, and had discussions with others who have had amputations and ankle fusions. He determined this would be the best option for his lifestyle, and removing the foot is better than having a non-usable foot.

At this point, this feels like Nelson’s best option to move past this injury. It will likely be a long road to recovery, and he will receive a prosthetic. However, it feels likely that Nelson will be in a much better spot this time next year and he won’t have as many uncertainties regarding his recovery.