Quadruple amputee skydives to celebrate his 65th birthday

A local grandfather on death's doorstep a year ago is now living a life he never thought possible.

65-year-old Steve Burrow of Dallas lost both legs and hands to sepsis, a life-threatening emergency that happens when the body's response to an infection damages vital organs and, often, causes death.

Burrow was spending the day as normal, in February 2023.

He attended his grandson’s basketball tournament and later that night, he said he woke up feeling awful and feverish.

"I remember thinking, 'Those must be some bad nachos,' but really no more than that. That's the last I remember," said Burrow.

Burrow was in a coma for three weeks and said when he woke up, doctors told him they would have to amputate both legs and both hands, otherwise, he faced limited chances of survival.

"I remember distinctly thinking I wasn't going to leave the hospital alive," said Burrow.

"I told him, 'Let's not wait anymore. Let's go. Let's do it.' It's like jumping out of a plane. You just open that door and get out," said the lifelong avid skydiver.

Since that time, with the support of his family and the prosthetics team at the Dallas Hanger Clinic, Steve is back to living his life to the fullest.

Clinic manager Danica Nordstrom said she wasn't surprised Burrow wanted to eventually skydive again.

"I was really proud of him, not because he dreamt of jumping from a plane. He had done that a ton of times before, but I was proud of him for prioritizing his happiness and prioritizing family and making sure that every day was joyful," said Nordstrom.

As requested, when Burrow was ready to skydive since his amputation, for his 65th birthday, Nordstrom took to the skies to join him.

"I was excited to do it. I was excited to share that memory with him. It was something I wasn't gonna say no to if anybody asked me, but it was extra special when it was Steve," said Nordstrom.

"I can't tell you how alive I felt, just the fresh air. My chest pops out, and I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, this is a good feeling that I hadn't felt in a long time," said Burrow.

Burrow hopes others can gain a sense of enjoying life and knowing there is hope no matter their circumstances.

"I was put in a very, very dark place. I want everyone to know that you don't have to stay in that dark place. You can choose to get out of it. How you get out of it varies for every person in every situation, but you don't have to stay in a dark place. You can climb out of it. You just have to choose to find out how," said Burrow.

To learn more about sepsis, symptoms and risk factors, visit the Sepsis Alliance.