One afternoon, Dylan Riley cut himself accidentally after slipping while getting a frisbee disc in Oklahoma City in 2023. He didn't though too much about it, but he would start suffering from increasingly worrying symptoms. He ended up in the hospital and, eventually, doctors had to amputate Riley's legs and hands.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The cut took place during a frisbee golf game Riley was sharing with his friends. The cut he suffered was examined by Riley's mother, Trina White, who happens to be an infectious disease nurse, according to PEOPLE. She told Riley there was no infection, but just two weeks later, things started to change.
Riley started experiencing flu-like symptoms and constant vomiting. After taking a hot bath, hoping to get better, he was unable to move. "The only thing I could do was turn my head and holler for my roommates to help me and that's when they called 911," Riley said, according to the Daily Mail.
Riley was rushed to the hospital while losing consciousness. There, doctors diagnosed him with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. This rare infection is extremely serious and can cause organ failure, tachypnea, tachycardia, and hypotension, according to the CDC. Riley's organs were failing, with his heart stopping twice.
Riley's mother arrived and was in shock after seeing her son connected to a machine. "I remember being confused and saying, 'I am so sorry, but I believe you have the wrong family.' But then I walked around the corner and I saw my son laying there, not the son I knew, of course, and my heart sank at that moment," she said. "As a mother, it's your worst nightmare. I said, 'Do what you have to do and save my son.'"
Amputated, Recovered
And that's exactly what the doctors did, but it came at a price. The ECMO machine Riley was connected to did support his heart and lung function but didn't allow oxygenated blood from circling to his limbs. These began to turn black as the lack of oxygenated blood caused the tissue to die and his kidneys to fail too.
At that point, Riley's parents received devastating news: Dylan Riley needed to have his limbs amputated. Doctors amputated his legs from the knee down and parts of his hands. Riley's mother felt that she was responsible for his son's state, as she decided to put him on life support. "I didn't care what he looked like. I didn't care what parts we lost," she reflected.
However, Dylan Riley felt fortunate that he was alive. "Mom, it doesn't matter. The main thing is I'm still here," Riley said to his mother. He was able to keep that positive energy throughout his recovery, which now sees him using prosthetics to move around. One year later, he is adamant about getting his life back and has even returned to playing disc golf with his friends.
