‘This can’t be happening’: Manitoba man recounts waking up to find wrong leg amputated

Jason Kennedy’s first impulse was to scream and cry.

The 48-year-old from Bloodvein First Nation awoke from his surgery at Winnipeg’s Grace Hospital on Oct. 31 – where he was supposed to have his right leg amputated due to a bone infection – to find his left leg, below the knee, had been amputated instead.

Kennedy, a former commercial fisher, was in complete shock.

“I’m realizing, like I don’t want to swear, but darn they took the wrong leg,” he told CityNews.

“When you get that ball in your throat and you want to cry and scream. I was so devastated and hurt, and I kept feeling my face and telling myself this is a dream, this can’t be happening.”

A patient safety review is underway at the Winnipeg hospital. While it’s still unclear where responsibility lies, the incident has raised serious questions.

Bloodvein First Nation Chief Lisa Young, who’s also Kennedy’s cousin, made the trip to Winnipeg as soon as she heard the news. While she’s in town to support Kennedy’s recovery, she’s also meeting with area leaders, including the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), to advocate for a proper investigation.

“This shouldn’t happen to anybody no matter what race you are,” Chief Young said. “This is a sad, tragic outcome for what was supposed to be provided as health care.”

The situation has led to outcry from First Nation leaders like the AMC and the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO).

“I don’t know how a mistake like this has been made, but it should be corrected immediately, and we support the family and what they would like to do,” said AMC Acting Grand Chief Betsy Kennedy.

Jason Kennedy continues to be deeply affected by the life-altering consequences of the amputation, and now is taking steps to try and save his other leg. He hopes by sharing his story, this will prevent similar incidents from happening to someone else.

But despite everything he’s gone through and will continue to go through, he isn’t mad and forgives everyone involved.

“Things happen for a reason I like to say,” he said. “But I basically forgave them and that’s all I can do. And all I can do is laugh about it and say, ‘it’s growing back.’ That’s what I said and they all laughed and said, ‘you have a good laugh.’”

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority acknowledged what they described as a “complex situation” and confirmed a patient safety review is underway. The health team personally apologized to Kennedy.

Meanwhile, Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara called the situation “heartbreaking” and stressed that the Ministry of Health is working closely with health officials to ensure such an incident doesn’t occur again.

Adding they will be examining whether or not racial bias or protocol lapses may have played a role.