Man who asked for leg amputation takes on 10km run
Greg Markowski decided on amputation five years after his motorcycle accident
- Published
A man who opted to have his leg amputated following a crash is to run his first 10km race for charity wearing a blade prosthetic.
Greg Markowski, from Hilton, Derbyshire, suffered a serious leg injury in a motorcycle accident in 2017 and decided to have a below-the-knee amputation five years later.
The 39-year-old will take part in the Derby 10K on 24 March to raise money for Rebuild East Midlands, which supports survivors of modern slavery.
He said: "Life is too short, put up with it and move on - I still have the other leg, so why not?"
Mr Markowski says if he could turn back time, he would opt to amputate sooner
Following his accident in 2017, doctors tried to save Mr Markowski's left leg, and he spent two years with a metal frame screwed into it and a further three years with pins holding it together.
"I went through three wheelchairs, five sets of crutches and two Zimmer frames in five years," he said.
The decision to have the leg amputated was made with doctors and he described it "the best decision ever".
Mr Markowski has never completed a race for charity wearing his blade prosthetic
Mr Markowski has completed a 10km before on a standard prosthetic but the Derby 10K will be the first he has run for charity.
He said his disability was his "super power" and he tried not to take life too seriously - even sometimes telling people he lost his leg in a shark attack.
"Because a motorbike accident is so boring, I came up with this story of a shark attack while I was on holiday in Australia," he said.
"And most people believe it."
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, external, on X, external, or on Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk , externalor via WhatsApp, external on 0808 100 2210.