Knight Crew

For anyone looking at this who does not know the Knight family, let me introduce you! Gordon Knight is the one in the middle of this group wearing the green and yellow tie died t-shirt. His wife, Amy, is just behind his right shoulder, daughter Gracie is in front of him and daughter Emma is in the grey outfit next to Gracie. This photoshoot is about his amazing story of perseverance and tenacity.

I first met the Knights through my wife, Deborah, who works with Amy. I was asked if I would like to take pictures of them at the capitol building for Christmas 2011. I said sure and loved every minute I spent with them that day. You can see those images at http://www.maxphotobiz.com/Portrait/Knight-Capital/20658191_jTK68b

Gordon is an artist who works in clay. At that time he was using a large mixing machine that helped him create the clay he used in his work. On March 16 last year he was working with the machine and managed to get caught in the blades. The machine caught then grabbed his arm, crushed it and then pulled his whole body in which also crushed his leg.

Gracie and Emma were the only others home at that moment so Emma was the one who called 911. Using the jaws-of-life- tool it took the emergency crew an hour and a half to get Gordon free from the contraption. Amazingly, the machine basically got jammed up with Gordons body and was not able to crush any of his vital organs.

The fact that he survived at all is a miracle... The fact that he is not confined to a wheel chair is also a miracle... The most miraculous of all though is that he is not only walking now, but also participated in the St Patrick's Day Run completing the 5K event in under 27 minutes! I don't think I could do that.

Maybe the most amazing thing isn't that he was able to run, but that he claims to hate running so much! :~)

Gordon is seen in this image with his personal trainer who helped him keep the pace he needed. He does not have real feeling in his leg anymore and during the race took a tumble, rolled once, popped back up and kept going.