Motorcycle Accident Survivor and Amputee, “Kickstand,” Volunteers to Gives Hope and Purpose to PVHMC Trauma Patients

During Thanksgiving weekend in 2023, Marcello Prieto, 53, of La Mirada, joined his friends for a motorcycle ride to the Derby Room in Pomona for a children’s toy drive. Marcello’s heart was full of joy, knowing that many children would have the chance to celebrate Christmas with gifts. But his holiday weekend took a turn for the worse when he woke up the next day in Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center’s (PVHMC) Trauma Intensive Care Unit (TICU).

He had left the event early that evening when the car ahead of him braked suddenly. To avoid a collision, he hit the curb, then the bushes. He landed on a fence and instinctively turned his body to protect his neck. His bike landed on him. Marcello remembers hearing firefighters talking and the sound of a chainsaw just before feeling immense relief in his right leg.

Marcello’s family grew worried because they hadn’t heard from him in hours. His son Nathan and daughter Amanda called everyone they could think of to find their father. Nathan eventually located his dad’s smartwatch, which showed his last location was Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.

Marcello woke up the next morning, intubated in the TICU. The first person he saw was his nurse, Hailey. His leg was in pain, and Marcello knew something was wrong. When he asked her if he had lost his leg, Hailey paused and answered honestly—he had undergone an amputation. He was grateful for her honesty.

The doctor told Marcello he was rushed into surgery immediately after arrival. They did everything they could to save his life, but unfortunately, that meant having to amputate his leg below the knee. Marcello was shocked but grateful to be alive. His first words to the doctor were, “Thank you.”

Later that week, he underwent another surgery in which his leg was amputated above the knee so he could be fit for a prosthetic.

Overwhelmed by the news of his new condition, Marcello remembered the compassionate care he received from Hailey and the encouraging message she shared with him.

“She told me that she often sees patients who experience traumatic accidents and have no support system,” says Marcello. “It made me feel grateful and hopeful to have love and support from my village of family and friends.”

Marcello’s supportive and loving family gave him the strength and motivation he needed. It had already been a difficult year—he had lost his mother to cancer 10 months earlier.

“Throughout my recovery and coming to terms with my new reality, I knew I was blessed to have my family,” said Marcello. “Life is a roller coaster. It’s hard to climb up that hill, and you need support to help lift you up.”

One month after the accident, and just days before Christmas, Marcello was discharged from the hospital. Although he was grateful to be home, nothing felt the same. He was overcome with the emotions of having to learn and create new routines.

He worked hard to regain his independence. He promised his kids—Amanda, Marcello II and Nathan—as well as his son-in-law Johnny, that he would never ride again.

His daughter was his strongest supporter, making all his follow-up calls, setting up appointments and ensuring he wasn’t overwhelmed by visitors.

Time passed, and Marcello made meaningful strides in his recovery. He wanted to give back to the medical team that saved his life and be a source of hope for new trauma survivors.

“I wanted to do more than just volunteer at the hospital,” said Marcello. “When I learned about the patient and family advisory committee, I knew it was something I wanted to join.”

The entire trauma team welcomed Marcello back to the hospital as part of the advisory committee, which aims to provide a voice that represents all patients who receive care by actively partnering with PVHMC doctors, nurses and administrators to develop new programs and promote ideas for improvement. He also joined the peer-to-peer support group at Southern California Crossroads, a not-for-profit organization that supports those impacted by trauma caused by violence.

“In my rounding, I talk to patients who are just beginning their recovery journeys and try to give them hope and let them know they’re not alone,” said Marcello. “I truly experienced their emotional and physical trauma and can relate to what they are going through. I go in open-minded, tell my story and listen.”

Marcello says every time he speaks with a patient, they help him heal, too.

“I didn’t know my purpose when I woke up in the trauma intensive care unit—I worked on my mental health a lot, and my physical health too,” he said.

One of Marcello’s first patient visits was with a motorcyclist who had been in an accident and was in the same room where Marcello had been hospitalized. Although the patient couldn’t respond, Marcello was able to forge a connection with the patient’s mother.

This year, Marcello started going to the gym five days a week to build up his strength. There are days when he doesn’t want to go, but he pushes himself forward.

Marcello says, “If you can’t take a full step, take a half step. If you can’t take a half step, take a quarter step. If you can’t take a quarter step, that’s OK—just never go backward.”

Marcello appreciates that he will be witnessing important milestones, like his youngest son graduating from high school and his other son turning 21 this year.

“I may have lost a limb, but I have plenty of life left to live,” said Marcello. “I’m blessed to be alive.”