On a bright autumn day last October, Dylan Riley, a passionate frisbee golf enthusiast, found himself enjoying the company of friends in Oklahoma City. In one of the games, the disc landed unexpectedly in the road, prompting him to dash after it. However, his excitement turned into a mishap; he tripped and experienced a painful cut on his right knee.
“I’m a klutz,” admits Riley, a 31-year-old hardworking individual who made a living in construction and welding, and had aspirations of enlisting in the Army to serve his country.
Upon examining the cut, his mother, Trina White, an experienced infectious disease nurse, initially believed it to be minor, reassuring him that there was no sign of infection.
However, almost two weeks later, a sudden deterioration in his health struck him hard. He awoke feeling flu-like symptoms, drenched in sweat, with a fever, debilitating body aches, and persistent vomiting. In a desperate attempt to alleviate his suffering, he took a hot bath, but the relief was short-lived. Upon exiting, he found himself unable to move, and in a state of panic, he screamed for help. His concerned roommate quickly dialed for an ambulance.
He recalls the paramedics’ voices, their questions blending into muffled sounds as his consciousness faded away.
“Everything went black,” Riley recounts, emphasizing the chilling nature of that moment.
Upon arrival at Baptist Integris Hospital, he was diagnosed with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, a rare yet incredibly grave and life-threatening infection that struck him out of nowhere.
“He came into our hospital severely sick, on death’s doorstep practically,” remarks Dr. Bob Schoaps, Medical Director for Specialty Critical Care and Acute Mechanical Circulatory Support at Integris Health Incorporated, highlighting the urgency of his condition.
Schoaps explained that the streptococcus bacteria, which is infamously known for causing strep throat, had found its way into Riley’s bloodstream, triggering the life-threatening situation.
During this overwhelming crisis, Riley’s organs began to fail, and at one point, his heart stopped beating entirely. Medical staff had to perform life-saving measures to revive him—twice.
“If Dylan would’ve hung out at his house for another couple of hours, it’s very likely he would not have survived this,” Schoaps asserts. “When we see patients that have the level of illness that he did, we estimate their chance of survival to be 10% or less.”
Upon his mother White’s arrival at the hospital, she was hit with the reality of the situation as staff inquired if she wished to place her son on life support.
“As a mother, it’s your worst nightmare,” she says, recalling the fear that swept over her. “I said, ‘Do what you have to do and save my son.’
Riley was immediately placed on a veno-arterial ECMO machine, a critical device designed to support both heart and lung function. While this technology kept him alive, it unfortunately did not circulate oxygenated blood to his extremities.
As a result, his limbs began to darken, and even the tips of his ears turned black as the tissues were dying due to lack of circulation. Additionally, he found himself undergoing dialysis for his failing kidneys.
While Riley lay unconscious, doctors cautioned his family about the potential necessity for amputations, casting a shadow over their hopes.
Notably, Riley has no memory of the first five days in the hospital. His first recollection is of waking up when the ECMO machine was finally removed.
“The first thing I remember was looking over and seeing my mom and then seeing my dad,” he recalls, noting the overwhelming emotions attached to that moment.
Noticing the presence of his divorced parents together in the hospital left Riley with an unsettling feeling; their reunion hinted at something seriously wrong. “They don’t want to share a room very often,” he mentions. “I was like, ‘Okay, what happened?’
After some time, his family and medical team explained to him that his body had gone into toxic shock; he came perilously close to losing his life. From that moment onward, his mother prepared him for the possibility of amputation.
She conveyed to Riley that while the machine had saved him, the tissue loss in his limbs was severe, and amputation might be inevitable.
“I told him no matter what, we still loved him and nothing was going to change anything,” she reassured him, emphasizing their unconditional love.
White harbored a deep fear that she had made a grave mistake by consenting to place her son on life support, knowing the potential outcome could involve limb loss. “I was selfish. I wanted my son. I didn’t care what he looked like. I didn’t care what parts we lost,” she reflects. “I worried he would hold that against me.”
Just a few weeks later, her fears began to dissipate; Riley expressed his gratitude and acceptance. “Riley told me, ‘Mom, it doesn’t matter. The main thing is I’m still here,'” she recalls with a mix of relief and warmth.
In the midst of recovery, he faced numerous peculiar side effects; one in particular stood out, as he described, “My entire body peeled, every single bit, like a snake would.”
The medical team took several months to evaluate the extent of tissue damage and determine which parts of his limbs could potentially be salvaged.
Throughout this challenging journey, humor remained a hallmark of Riley’s personality. So when the medical team delivered the news that his legs would need to be amputated, he responded by making lighthearted jokes instead of succumbing to sadness.
“I always try to see the positive in things,” he asserts, maintaining a resilient spirit. His friends and family wept for him, but he found strength in humor. “Seeing them cry, I am like, ‘Don’t, cause you’re going to make me cry.’ And so my first instinct is always to make them laugh,” he says, turning a devastating moment into one of laughter.
Riley underwent leg amputations just a week before Christmas in 2023. Surprisingly, he asked his mother to take a picture of his bandaged legs. “You could see they were cut off,” he noted, sharing the bittersweet reality. He even humorously juxtaposed his situation with the character from Shrek, posting a picture of his own amputation next to the Gingerbread man who also lost his legs, showcasing his signature dark sense of humor.
In January, part of his hands faced the same fate; the journey was ongoing.
Remarkably, while some fingers were saved, his right hand retained only the palm, and on his left hand, surgeons managed to preserve his thumb along with parts of his index and middle fingers. Fortuitously, he reports, some portions of his hand rejuvenated, “I can still grab a pencil and I can still write,” he shares. “But I can’t hold power tools like I used to.”
On Friday, May 17, 2024, he received prosthetic legs through the generous support of Limbs for Life. By the following Monday, he eagerly began rehab, tackling the challenges of stairs and curbs. “I was sweating,” he admitted, driven by his desire to prove others wrong. “I didn’t want to be one of those, ‘Oh, feel bad for me.’ I wanted to prove people wrong.”
Now, one year later, Dylan Riley is resolutely focused on reclaiming his life. He is gradually returning to beloved hobbies, including league bowling, remarking, “It’s not pretty,” with a jovial laugh. He’s even back to playing disc golf, embracing the joy of his past.
Dr. Schoaps attributes Riley’s remarkable recovery to his “persistent optimism,” a shiny beacon of hope in the face of adversity. Riley takes it upon himself to inspire others, visiting fellow amputees in the hospital before they undergo their own operations, sharing a message of hope.
“I can at least help them realize that this isn’t the end of it — this is just the beginning of their new story,” he states. “You can move forward and excel, or you can sit there and linger and take steps back.”
His noble aspirations include delivering motivational speeches to local schoolchildren, instilling in them the importance of resilience and the value of overcoming challenges.
“I’m grateful for life,” he asserts, acknowledging the pivotal moments that could have altered his family’s path entirely. “Things could be so different. My family could have been planning a funeral.”
King significant strides in regaining his independence and adapting to his new reality. With the help of physical therapists, Riley learned how to navigate the complexities of life with prosthetics.
He faced the challenge head-on, demonstrating resilience and a determination that inspired those around him. He embraced rehabilitation with a positive attitude, remarking, “Every day is a step forward, and I am excited to see what I can achieve.”
Support from his family and friends played a crucial role in his recovery process. They rallied around him, encouraging him at every turn and celebrating each milestone, no matter how small. Riley noted the importance of this support, saying, “Having people who truly care about you makes all the difference.”
Throughout this journey, Riley’s humor never waned. He often joked about his situation, reminding those around him to look for the brighter side of life. “I may have lost some parts, but I’ll never lose my spirit,” he said with a grin, demonstrating his refusal to be defined by his circumstances.
As he continued to adjust to life post-amputation, Riley also became an advocate for others facing similar challenges. He shared his story on social media, aiming to raise awareness about the importance of seeking help during health crises and the power of resilience.
His journey was not just about recovery but also about inspiring others facing adversity to find strength within themselves. “Life throws curveballs, but it’s how we handle them that truly matters,” he stated, instilling hope in those who looked up to him.
Ultimately, Riley emerged from this harrowing experience not just as a survivor but as a symbol of courage and positivity, ready to embrace whatever the future held for him.
