When 20-year-old Tommy Hurrell attended a Supergrass concert in Margate this summer, he didn’t expect the night to change his life forever. The music lover from Deal, Kent, had been living with complications from spina bifida, a condition that develops when the spine doesn’t form properly during pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
For Tommy, spina bifida caused nerve damage that affected his left leg, gradually worsening over time. Despite multiple surgeries from the age of 12, the pain and deformity grew unbearable.
Tommy Hurrell, pictured receiving a hug from his mom, made the heartbreaking decision to amputate his leg following a half-a-lifetime of complications with his left foot (Tommy Hurrell)
“I love going to concerts, I love music and I love being able to live a normal life,” he told UNILAD. “But after standing for hours that night, I just couldn’t do it anymore — that’s when it hit me. I started to think about amputation seriously for the first time.”
Finding Clarity and Relief Through Amputation
After discussing the idea with his surgeon, Tommy felt a sense of relief rather than fear. His doctor’s reaction gave him the confidence to move forward.
“When I said it to him, his eyes lit up,” Tommy recalled. “He looked like I’d saved him from having a very difficult conversation.”
Two months later, on October 1, Tommy underwent surgery to remove his left leg. Surprisingly, he described waking up after the operation as a moment of peace.
Tommy’s revelation came to him while watching Supergrass (Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images)
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“I felt relief when I looked down and saw my leg was gone — and I still do now. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.”
According to Harvard Health, individuals who undergo major surgeries often experience emotional transitions that can include both grief and relief, depending on how chronic pain affected their lives beforehand. For Tommy, the surgery marked the start of a new beginning.
