HIS DETERMINE TOGS REGAIN HIS
LIFE WAS UNWAVERING.
>> IT WAS A CHALLENGE IN MY
LIFE.
I WOULD LIKE TO OVERCOME IT.
>> WITH THE PASSION FOR WATER
SPORTS AND HIS ZEST FOR LIFE,
KEVIN GREENE WORKS AND PLAYS AT
FULL THROTTLE.
BUT IN 2016, THE DAY AFTER
CHRISTMAS, HE CAME HOME EARLY
FROM HIS JOB WITH A SORE THROAT
AND PAIN IN HIS ABDOMEN.
THE FOLLOWING DAY HE WAS EVEN
SICKER.
HIS WIFE JULIE BECAME CONCERNED.
>> HE NEVER TOOK A DAY OFF.
WHEN HE DECIDED TO STAY HOME,
I'M LIKE ALL RIGHT, SOMETHING IS
WRONG HERE.
>> KEVIN SAYS HIS PAIN BECAME
UNBEARABLE SO THEY WENT TO THE
E.R.
>> THAT NIGHT HE WAS JUST -- IN
AND OUT OF CONSCIOUSNESS.
IT WAS REALLY TERRIFYING.
>> KEVIN WAS RUSHED INTO SURGERY
WHERE DOCTORS FOUND A STREP
INFECTION THAT TRAVELED TO HIS
ABDOMEN WHICH SENT HIS BODY INTO
SEPTIC SHOCK.
HE SOON KNEEL A COMA FIGHTING
FOR HIS LIFE.
>> HE TOLD ME THERE IS A GOOD
CHANCE HE WON'TER IS VIF.
>> TO SAVE KEVIN, THEY TOOK
EXTREME MEASURES INCLUDING
MULTIPLE LIMB AMPUTATIONS.
HE SPENT MONTHS IN GRUELING,
PHYSICAL AND OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPY.
>> AND I REMEMBER TELLING HIM,
LIKE, KEVIN, YOU CAN CRY.
>> MY RESPONSE WAS, HOW I REACT
TO THIS IS HOW OUR KIDS ARE
GOING TO PERCEIVE HOW, YOU KNOW,
WE TACKLE CHALLENGES IN LIFE.
I GOT BETTER.
AND I COULD DO MORE THINGS.
AND HOLY COW, I CAN WALK.
IT WAS A BIG ENCOURAGEMENT TO ME
TO SAY THERE ARE LIMITATIONS.
>> PHENOMENAL.
WE'RE JOINED HERE NOW BY KEVIN
GREENE AND HIS WIFE JULIE.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU GUYS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS SO INTERESTING
THAT INITIALLY YOU TESTED
NEGATIVE FOR STREP THROAT.
>> CORRECT.
>> THAT BOGGLES MY MIND:
>> I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY
DID IT EERNL.
WE WENT TO THE URGENT CARE TO
GET TESTED.
AND THEY SAID I DIDN'T HAVE IT.
BUT THEN THEY SENT A CULTURE IN
AND IT COMES BACK A FEW DAYS
LATER AND I ENDED UP HAVING IT.
THEY DIDN'T FIND THAT OUT UNTIL
AFTER I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR
A FEW DAYS.
>> YOU CAN'T GO DOWN THE RABBIT
HOLE.
>> IT HAPPENED SO FAST.
>> AND JULIE, YOU WERE SAYING
THAT KEVIN IS ONLY ONE TWO OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS.
>> ONE OF TWO MEN.
SO MEDICALLY, IN THE WORLD, HOW
WOULD YOUR TEAM EVEN KNOW?
>> I KNOW.
WE HAVE NO IDEA.
WE'RE VERY THANKFUL.
THEY TOOK GREAT CARE OF HIM.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS
STRIKING IS YOU SEEM TO HAVE
SUCH A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR.
>> YOU WERE CRACKING CRAIG UP.
>> HOW OLD ARE YOUR KIDS?
>> 17, 7, 5.
>> AND WHAT DID YOU SAY?
>> I NEED MORE FINGERS TO COUNT.
>> WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN WITH OUR
KIDS.
>> SUCH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON
ALL OF THIS.
YOU ALSO HAVE A NEW DEVICE
CALLED A TASKA.
>> IT IS A TASKA HAND.
IT IS AN ELECTRIC HAND.
YOU CAN HAVE FUN WITH IT.
GOING TO THE CONCERT.
.
>> THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
>> YEAH.
THE.
>> IF YOU WERE A NEW YORKER, YOU
COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING ELSE.
>> WE HEARD ABOUT THAT ON THE
TOUR BUSES:
>>
>> IT HAS TWO PROBES AND SENSORS
HERE AND HERE.
LIKE IF YOU CLOSE YOUR ARM OR
OPEN YOUR HAND, THAT'S EXACTLY
HOW THAT MOVES.
>> WOW.
>> THAT'S BEEN A GAME CHANGER.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
NOT TOO LONG TO GET USED TO
EITHER.
>> WOW.
>> IT DEFINITELY HELPS.
>> LET ME BRING YOU IN IT HERE
AS A WIFE, MOTHER, FRIEND, TALK
ABOUT THE JOURNEY FOR YOU.
WE CAN'T IMAGINE SOMETHING
HAPPENED WITH OUR SPOUSES AND
THEN YOU HAVE THREE KIDS.
TO THIS MOMENT NOW TO WHERE
WE'RE HERE AND IN NEW YORK CITY.
HOW HAS IT BEEN FOR YOU?
>> YEAH.
IT'S BEEN A LOT.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE FIRST IN THE
HOSPITAL, I, YOU KNOW, I CAME
HOME AND TALKING ABOUT ALL OF
THE RAMIFICATIONS.
I WAS THINKING OKAY THIS IS
GOING TO BE OUR LIFE.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO HELP KEVIN
GET HIS LEGS ON AND OFF EVERY
DAY AND THIS NEW NORM.
AND KEVIN IS JUST REALLY
PERSEVERED THROUGH ALL THIS.
HE REQUIRES VERY LITTLE HELP
FROM ME NOW.
HE CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR
CHILDREN.
HE CAN TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF FOR
MOST PART.
HE GETS THIS ALL ON EVERY DAY BY
HIMSELF.
AND IT'S DRIVING AGAIN.
IT HELPS.
>> KEVIN, I GOT TO ADMIT, I
DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD HAVE HAD
THE GRIT TO PERSEVERE AS YOU
HAVE.
WHAT IS IT THAT HAS YOU DOING
THIS?
BECAUSE YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH
MULTIPLE THINGS.
ALL THIS TESTING, ALL THE
DIFFERENT THINGS.
HOW DO YOU DO IT EVERY DAY?
>> BEFORE THIS, I HAD A TON OF
ENERGY.
I ALWAYS HAD A LOT OF ENERGY.
I AM ALWAYS VERY INDEPENDENT.
TO NOT BE INDEPENDENT AND BE
STUCK IN A WHEELCHAIR WHICH I
WAS FOR A WHILE, IT DROVE ME
NUTS.
I MEAN, JUST EVEN GOING IN YOUR
KITCHEN AND TRYING TO GET A
PLATE.
YOU CAN'T DO IT.
SO IT'S MORE OF A NECESSITY AND
TRYING TO JUST GET BACK TO WHERE
YOU USED TO BE.
>> WOW.
>> YOU LEARNED HOW TO -- YOU
RELEARN HOW TO WALK, DRIVE,
DRIVE A BOAT AND WAKE BOARD.
WAKE BOARD AND SKI.
>> LOOK AT THIS.
>> WHAT HAS IT MEANT TO THE TWO
OF YOU AS A COUPLE?
BECAUSE YOU ARE A COUPLE.
>> IT BROUGHT US CLOSER
TOGETHER, TO ARE SURE.
OF SHE TOOK CARE OF ME LIKE -- I
MEAN, SHE HAD TO DO EVERYTHING.
LITERALLY, I WAS LIKE A BABY.
>> WOW.
THAT'S AMAZING.
>> THE CLOSENESS, YOU SPEND SO
MUCH TIME TOGETHER.
AND THEN I GUESS -- SHE GAVE ME
SO MUCH HELP.
THAT'S PART OF WHY I WANT TO BE
MORE INDEPENDENT.
NOT MAKE HER DO SO MUCH STUFF.
WHAT CAN I DO AROUND THE HOUSE?
DO DISHES.
HELP WITH DISHES.
HELP FOLD CLOTHES.
LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT.
OTHERWISE, IT'S ON HER.
OF SHE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, SH HE CAN.
BUT THAT'S NO THE WHAT I WANT.
>> THE YOU'RE A GOOD MAN.
THIS SERIES IS CALLED "GRIT."
>> JULIE, YOU'RE A GOOD WOMAN.
>> YES, BOTH OF YOU GUYS.