Justin Dodge is a man of resolve.
“I actually feel blessed because I got to walk for the second time,” he stated. “I got to relearn how to walk.”
And after just a few weeks with a prosthetic leg, he is striding with assurance.
On a breezy February afternoon, Dodge said, “I’m at a point where I’m comfortable just walking normal,” as he strolled through Denver’s Washington Park in shorts. “In the end, I hope to get it to the point where you wouldn’t know if I was amputee or not if I was wearing pants. Even though it’s only been 22 days, I know I’m not quite there yet.
His stride and the distance he has come since his world flipped upside down eight months ago as a sergeant and SWAT officer for the Denver Police Department are both impressive.
“I never felt like I couldn’t accomplish this,” he said to Kelly Werthmann of CBS Colorado. “I never considered the following: “This is over”.
On June 15, 2023, that mental toughness was put to the ultimate test. Dodge suffered severe injuries when he was forced to work parade security at the Denver Nuggets championship celebration downtown. The fire engine weighed eighty thousand pounds. A terrifying incident that resulted in eight operations and his left leg being amputated.
“As the truck was resting on top of me… “I had already trained my mind to believe that I could handle this,” he remarked. “I actually sat up and took off my kit and I handed it to one of my teammates and I told him, ‘Take care of this because I’m going to be back.'”
Dodge moved forward to regain ground.
“I got hit on the 15th and on July 1 I was back in the gym,” he stated. “I had a wound vacuum, a wheelchair, and assistance getting into machines. Hoses were practically gushing out of me.”
According to Dodge, setting daily goals is one of the most crucial things he does to aid in his recuperation. Physical and mental objectives to work toward each day.
“There were days when it was butt-scoot down the stairs, get to the couch, pack my leg in ice, and that was an accomplished task for the day,” he stated.
Of course, he doesn’t go alone on his road to recovery. Dodge is regaining his strength with the assistance of amazing doctors, his fellow police, encouraging family and friends, and elite trainers.
“Dr. Mauffrey is really talented. I firmly believe that he saved my life. Regarding his Denver Health surgeon, “We have a very close relationship and I feel very blessed about that,” he remarked.
“And Steve Hess, he’s a former strength and conditioning coach for the Denver Nuggets,” said Dodge.
