Worker who lost legs in South Boston construction collapse home from rehab hospital

BOSTON – A worker critically injured when a floor collapsed during a demolition project is back at home. It’s been five months since he lost his legs. 

Every step Wilson Ortega takes reminds him of how far he’s come.

“He says thank God he can walk. He almost came out in a wheelchair. So, he feels very good,” said Ortega’s interpreter.

The 34-year-old double amputee walked out of Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital over the weekend. Wilson was severely injured in the Edison Power Plant structural collapse in South Boston earlier this year. He says he vividly remembers working on the project when a large piece of wood he was cutting came down on him.  

“The last wood he cut he didn’t realize that it was coming down, and it was too late. When he looked down his legs were gone,” the interpreter said.

Thankful to be alive and now walking with his two new prosthetic legs, he is ready to move ahead.

“He says the first day they put those things on him, he really thought he was never going to walk.”

But after intense rehab and training, he thanks the team at Spaulding for their dedication and his recovery. And he also says giving up was not an option. He knew he had to walk again.  

“He says before anything he wants to thank God for putting him here, and he does it for his son. He always thinks about his son and what he would do if he couldn’t walk. If he wasn’t here. That’s his motive to live.”

It’s been about five months since that tragic accident, but Ortega walks out of Spaulding knowing his new prosthetics wouldn’t define him. In fact, he plans to use it to inspire and help others.

“He says he would like to talk to people in the same condition or depression because there are worse people than him out there. So he wants to the voice for them.”

And while he takes his new normal step-by-steps, he also hopes to one day run again.