Christina Stephens had her leg amputated below the knee several months ago after her foot got crushed while she was working on her car. The St. Louis occupational therapist and clinical researcher then started a YouTube channel and Facebook page, “AmputeeOT,” a resource for amputees, caregivers, and people in the healthcare field.
Eventually, someone in her research lab suggested that she make a prosthetic leg out of LEGO pieces . Stephens accepted — and the result can be seen in the video above.
“The joke’s on you – I went home and did it,” Stephens wrote in the video’s description. “Sometimes, you just need to be silly.”
After creating the leg, Stephens tries to walk on it, but the foot piece breaks off. She snaps it back on and tries again before taking the LEGO leg off (or Leg-O, as YouTube has taken to calling it) and standing it up next to her prosthetic.
The video has received over 34,000 views and nearly 1,000 likes since it was posted on June 12. Commenters even suggested ways Stephens could improve the design of the leg, such as making the foot bigger and the stem between the foot and leg thicker.
Stephens’ AmputeeOT Facebook page has received over 915 likes, and those who have gone through or will go through amputations often reach out to her for advice. One woman wrote that Stephens’ videos have helped her children come to terms with her upcoming amputation, and that her fiancé now has a better understanding of what she will go through.
Another woman, who also had her leg amputated below the knee, told Stephens that her videos have been a “source of comfort” and that she and her husband watch them together. Several others have reached out just to say ‘thank you” or commend her efforts.
What do you think of Christina Stephens’ LEGO prosthetic leg?