State Patrol trooper Justin Hansen selects a golf club from a bag. September 1, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A Wisconsin State Trooper who lost his leg over nine years ago is continuing to thrive both in, and outside of work. He’s now taken on a new life endeavor. Justin Hansen returned for duty in 2016.
Hansen will be the first to tell you how much his life changed in January 2014.
“I count every single day I’m here as a blessing,” Hansen said. “I was very fortunate to survive that crash that day. I lost a lot of blood and it was touch and go for a while. Even going through a week in ICU and three weeks in the hospital, you never know what outcome you’re gonna have.”
Hansen lost his leg when he was pinned between two vehicles on a snowy road. This, while he was doing the job he’s always loved. Several years later, not only is Hansen still monitoring highways, he’s also picking up new skills.
“I got involved with golf a couple years ago actually during COVID for something to do,” Hansen said. “One of the guys I was paired up with said he got some lessons through Bob and he was hitting the ball pretty well. So he noticed my artificial limb and said ‘you know Bob works with people like that so you should reach out to him.'”
Shortly after, Hansen did just that.
“Saw pictures of the car,” Appleton golf instructor Bob Burns said. “It’s just incomprehensible that someone could live through that. But there’s a way that, there’s different things I can do to help people when they have a situation like that.”
Burns holds golf lessons for everyone, but his specialty is working with individuals with disabilities. That could be anything from gigantism to people who are missing arms.
“For a whole year I didn’t even have a hip, so you find out in a hurry what it’s like when you don’t have the balance you maybe once had,” Burns said. “But there’s a way.”
Hanson said after what happened, he’s always trying to keep a positive attitude on life. That’s allowed him to make quick progress in his new hobby.
“I’m fortunate that I have my knee,” Hansen said. “Bob’s definitely given me some good tips and pointers on how to best utilize my swing with what I’ve got going.”
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