“I lost my hands that day, but I never lost…”: A driver’s heartbreaking journey from a life-changing accident to rebuilding his life for his family
For Avinash Rathod, life changed in a matter of seconds. A routine day at a construction site turned into a life-threatening accident that left him without both hands. But what followed was not a story of giving up. It was a story of fear, family, faith and the determination to begin again. Rathod shared his journey on Instagram through his account, ‘mr_rathod_13_19’, recalling the accident that changed his life and the difficult months that followed. Today, he works as a driver, supports his family and continues to take part in Ganpati celebrations in his community. Looking back, he says the journey taught him that losing a part of his body did not mean losing his purpose.
A routine day that changed everything
“I was working at a construction site when my life changed in a matter of seconds,” Rathod recalled. He was trying to remove a pipe that had become stuck near a transformer when he was electrocuted. The accident left him seriously injured and he was rushed to hospital. “But the doctors told me there was no way to save my hands. They had to amputate them,” he said. The reality was difficult to accept. Lying in the hospital, Rathod could not stop thinking about what his future would look like. “I remember lying there and thinking, ‘What will happen to my life now?’” His worries were not only about himself. He had already lost his father at a young age, and at the time of the accident, his wife was four months pregnant with their son. “My biggest fear wasn’t about myself, it was about how I would take care of my family,” Rathod said.
His wife became his strength
The months after the accident were extremely difficult. Rathod spent almost a month unable to get out of bed. But during one of the darkest periods of his life, he found strength in the people closest to him. His wife repeatedly reminded him that things would eventually get better. “She kept telling me, ‘Tension mat lo, sab theek ho jayega,’” he recalled. Those words became a source of hope when he was struggling to imagine a life after the accident. His family and doctors also supported him as he slowly began the long process of recovery. For Rathod, even the smallest physical achievement became meaningful. After spending weeks unable to get out of bed, he eventually started exercising again. “Jab pehli baar main khud khada hua aur chala, tab laga, ‘Main abhi bhi kuch kar sakta hoon,’” he said. That moment changed the way he looked at his future. Instead of focusing only on what he had lost, he began thinking about what he could still do.
Rebuilding his life, one step at a time
Rathod eventually returned to work. Today, he works as a driver and takes care of his family, showing how far he has come since the accident. His journey has not been about pretending that the loss was easy. It has been about learning to move forward despite it. “I started working again. Today, I work as a driver and take care of my family,” he said. Alongside his work and family responsibilities, Rathod also remains connected to Ganpati celebrations. Every year during the festival, he helps with cleaning and other small chores. “Ganpati has always been special to me,” he said. “Being around Bappa during the festival gives me a different kind of happiness.” For Rathod, these moments carry a deeper meaning. After surviving a devastating accident and rebuilding his life, being with his family and participating in the festival has become a reminder of everything they have overcome together.
“I never lost the will to live”
Rathod says his family remains at the heart of his journey. His wife stood beside him through the most difficult period, and today, the couple is raising their son together. “After everything we’ve been through, we’re still together, raising our son,” he said. For him, faith has also been an important source of strength. “I feel Bappa has always been with us,” Rathod said. His life today may look very different from what he imagined before the accident. He lost both his hands and had to learn how to perform everyday tasks in a new way. Yet he found the courage to work again, walk again and take responsibility for his family.“I can walk, work and take care of my family,” he said. His final words capture the heart of his story: “I lost my hands that day. But I never lost my will to live.” Rathod’s journey is ultimately not just about surviving an accident. It is about finding a reason to stand again when life leaves you with every reason to fall. For him, that reason was his family, his faith and the belief that even after losing so much, there was still something worth fighting for.
