6 days ago
Lineman loses both his ARMS after being shocked by power cable while at work
A Texas lineman lost both of his arms after a power cable accident sent more than 7,000 volts coursing through his body.
Dakota Hutson almost died several times after he was shocked by a transformer in late April.
The father-of-five mistakenly believed the electrical device was turned off when the accident occurred.
Much of his upper body was burned, leaving him clinging to life as he spent over a month in the hospital.
Hutson almost bled out twice in his hospital bed due to an artery rupture, leading doctors to make the life-altering decision to amputate most of both of his arms.
An avid outdoorsman and hunter, Hutson said that he was most worried about being dad.
'I was just worried I wouldn't be able to pick up my kids again,' Hutson told WMTV.
The lineman's wife Kimberly added that she feared she was going to lose her husband saying, 'I didn't know if he was alive or OK or anything'.
Doctors were forced to cut open both of Hutson's arms to relieve 'extreme swelling', according to a fundraiser created by his parents.
It details his 'intense pain' and says he faces a 'long road to recovery', with several fellow linemen commenting on the profile to say it is their 'worst nightmare' on the dangerous job.
Hutson was fitted with a pair of prosthetic arms earlier this month, which he is still getting used to.
So far he has been able to carry out basic needs like dressing himself, but was concerned he wouldn't ever be able to do some of his favorite hobbies including car mechanics and hunting.
However, he said the prosthetics have given him a new lease of life.
'I've even shot a snake already,' he said.
Looking back on his brush with death, a grateful Hutson said he now sees the horrifying experience as a silver lining.
Hutson said that before his accident, he always told his wife that he wants 'to be home every night with my kids', which he now gets to do.
'Doing powerlines, you're not home every night with your kids,' he said.
'Me getting hurt was a blessing in a way.'
