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HANCOCK– “I’m 38 and I’m from here,” said Shannon Perkins, who recently went on a Courage Incorporated trip. “I was actually born in Hancock. And things I like to do… I’m a musician. I like to cook and get outside. I like to fish.”
Growing up, Shannon says she was very active and loved to play hockey.
“I went to the Women’s Junior Olympic Training Center,” said Perkins. “I went for the National Goaltender Development Camp in ’96-’97 in Colorado Springs and I played for team Michigan. I was an ice hockey goalie. I was always hunting and fishing and outside.”
In 2009, Shannon’s life majorly changed.
“I was in Grand Rapids, Michigan and my friend had the first seizure of his life while driving a vehicle and we hit a brick yoga studio at 45 miles an hour, said Perkins.”
Both Shannon and her friend suffered from crush injuries to their leg because the engine came into the passenger compartment.
“I had like 14 surgeries before I decided to have an amputation,” said Perkins.
Shannon got the amputation 2016 because she developed a condition called complex regional pain syndrome.
“Basically from the knee down, my leg was still convinced that it was in the car accident,” said Perkins. “Even though it had healed, It would still bruise, it would swell, it would do all sorts of weird things. Like even like a fan being on was too painful.”
After some trial and error, Shannon eventually got a prosthetic leg, which takes time to get used. Over this whole period of time, Shannon’s active lifestyle decreased. Recently, she discovered support that also focuses on the outdoors and adventure.
“I was getting online and I was looking because there’s not a lot of support groups for people,” said Perkins. “There is not a lot of thing for people in the U.P.”
Tune in to Local 3 News tomorrow night to hear about Shannon’s experience with Courage Incorporated.
