Phoenix Amputee Serving Community As Truck Technician

PHOENIX, AZ — It's been seven years since the night that Daniel Aldana's life was forever altered.

Aldana, who was born and raised in the West Valley town of Avondale, was out for a routine motorcycle ride in 2013, when the then-20-year-old lost control of his bike and crashed.

He woke up several hours later in a nearby hospital, confused why his family members were weeping as he lay motionless in his raised bed.

He soon discovered that his left calf had been ripped off in the accident and that reattaching the ligaments would be problematic at best.

It was then that Aldana made a decision that shocked his friends and family.

"They were like, 'Daniel, we need to talk about something really life-changing'," Aldana told Patch. "They told me it was about my leg and I said, 'OK, cool. Let's cut it off then.'

"Everyone was shocked. They're like, 'Why? Why would you do something like that?' And I told them, because my option of keeping it are way worse than having one leg."

Aldana's decision likely saved his life, as he was able to exit the hospital a month or so after that fateful decision, after 28 surgeries were completed on his left leg.

He wasn't out of the woods yet, however, as Aldana had to relearn how to do basic bodily functions, like walking and standing.

Aldana still calls the decision to remove his leg a godsend, however, as it allowed him to move forward with his life.

"The healing process was probably the worst part of this. It took a long time and was a nightmare," Aldana said. "But for the most part is was quite the life-changing experience, and probably the best decision I've ever made in my life."

Fast-forward seven years, and Aldana made another decision that turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

That's when he became disenchanted with the work he was doing, and threw himself into becoming a full-time automotive technician.

Aldana enrolled in classes at Phoenix's Universal Technical Institute campus, before landing a full-time gig as a technician for Phoenix-based Lifted Trucks.

It's work that Aldana loves, even though he either has to use a pair of crutches or a wheelchair at the moment to complete his daily tasks.

He's become a company favorite, thanks to Aldana's tireless work ethic and dedication to service.

“Daniel’s positive attitude, kind heart, work ethic, and passion for life, inspired us to help give back to him because he is always so giving to others,” said Mike Halland, who is the marketing manager of Lifted Trucks, in an email sent to Patch. “We hope this GoFundMe will help fund the entirety of a life changing prosthetic leg, which would allow Daniel to return to the activities he loved before the accident.”

The feeling is mutual for Aldana, who recently starred in a Lifted Trucks film about his day-to-day life.

Aldana expressed his gratitude for Halland and company, saying the company has been a blessing.

Part of that blessing stems from the help Aldana's received in raising money for a new prosthetic leg, which will make his daily tasks much simpler.

Aldana is currently trying to raise $10,000 via a GoFundMe drive, to purchase such a prosthetic device.

Thanks in part to Lifted Trucks' video, Aldana is roughly halfway toward his goal, as of Thursday morning.

Aldana said he's excited to raise enough money to get the prosthetic, in part so that he can return to the activities that he loved most, such as snowboarding, mountain biking and hiking, prior to his accident seven years ago.

"People actually want to help me and it means a lot that [Lifted Trucks] is helping with the fundraiser to get me a new prosthetic," Aldana said. "Then I can go back to my lifestyle that I had before my accident ... I would try anything at least once or twice.

"And to everyone that's donated, I just want to thank them so much. It's going to be really cool to get me back to where I once was."

For now, Aldana is confident and optimistic about the future for the first time in a while, thanks in large part to the support he's received from the community at large.

Aldana is ready for life's brightest moments, including the birth of his first child later this year.

Above all, he hopes that people take away the positives from his story, such as how hard work can overcome life's adversities, and that we all have a support system around us to get us through tough times.

"You kind of run out of energy to be positive every day, because it gets so rough," Aldana said. "And you can get down on yourself. And then one day, you just realize that people do give a s— about you, and they care. They want to see you do better, and they want to raise you up.

"So all the hard work that my family put in for me to bring me to this point, where I am today, really pays off. So don't ever give up."

Editor's note: Patch is a GoFundMe promotional partner.