Man, 20, explains why he decided to amputate his leg after years of suffering

A 20-year-old man who made the life-changing decision to have his leg amputated after a night at a rock concert has revealed how losing a limb has surprisingly opened doors that had been shut off to him on two feet.

Tommy Hurrell, from Deal in Kent, located in the southeast of England, was born with spina bifida, a condition that develops when a baby’s spine doesn’t form correctly in the womb.

This lipoma of the spinal cord caused nerve damage to spiral down his left leg, but it wasn't noticeable until he turned ten - which is when mobility became an issue.

It caused nerve damage to his left foot, and soon after, the surgeries started. Since the age of 12, he's undergone 'five or six' operations, leading to his foot being 'deformed in every single way imaginable'.

The Brit, who works the social media accounts for a non-profit organization, had been told for the majority of his teenage years that his condition meant he was unable to take part in sport - notably rugby, which he enjoyed playing at grassroots level with his friends beforehand.

Tommy Hurrell, pictured receiving a hug from his mom, made the heartbreaking decision to amputate his leg following a half-a-lifetime of complications with his left foot (Tommy Hurrell)

But everything changed this summer, after a night watching the band Supergrass play at Dreamland Margate on June 20.

"I love going to concerts, I love music and I love being able to live a normal life," he explained to UNILAD.

"I went to a concert with my dad and after being on my feet for about four or five hours, I genuinely just couldn't stand up anymore - and that's when it actually sunk in... I never actually considered amputation before that.

"My dad looked at me and he was like, 'are you okay?', because I was genuinely trying not to collapse on the floor. I looked at him and I was like, 'I'm really not; I just can't stand up anymore'."

Tommy added: "That was a long night, I had a bit of a breakdown because I thought, 'right, I'm actually contemplating an amputation now'. Because obviously everyone always goes, 'why don't you just amputate it?', but then obviously that's just an insane - it's an insane thing to do."

Tommy's revelation came to him while watching Supergrass (Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images)

At the next opportunity, Tommy spoke to his surgeon, and it was his doctor's reaction that gave him the clarity he needed.

"When I said it to him, his eyes lit up. He looks at me as if to say, like, 'thank God, you saved me. You just saved me a very difficult conversation'," he recalled.

"His response to me asking about it, that finalized the deal for me. Then, just under two months later, it was gone - my leg was gone."

Tommy’s surgery took place on October 1, and he says the build-up was actually worse than waking up without his leg.

"I'm actually quite grateful for that to be honest, because I found the weight of that looming over my shoulders knowing that I'm amputating my leg within the next three weeks, two weeks, one week - the build-up to it was way worse than actually waking up to it," he explained.

Tommy, pictured alongside his surgeon, explained how he felt instant relief after the operation (Tommy Hurrell)

"When I woke up, granted I was sort of under the influence of plenty of painkillers etc., but I just felt relief when I looked down and saw my leg was gone - and I still do now. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders."

Tommy spoke to UNILAD two weeks on from his life-changing surgery, and has found the recovery to be much smoother than he anticipated - noting how he has been 'completely pain-free'.

Touching candidly on adjusting to daily life as an amputee, he added: "I'd say the main difference is, it's completely changed my perspective on life, especially being in rehab as well and hearing everybody else's stories.

"But the biggest difference psychologically, is going out in public with one leg and obviously catching people's eyes as you're sort of rolling down the street on your wheelchair with your stump hanging out."

However, he has found that sharing his journey on social media has helped empower him.

"Posting it online has really made me feel so much more at comfort with it all because I'm constantly speaking to people in the same shoes - or same shoe," Tommy joked.

Tommy's recovery has only just began, but he's looking forward to what the future holds for him (Tommy Hurrell)

"I've learned to sort of look on the sort of bright side of things and just embrace it, and it's become a part of me."

While his recovery has only just begun, Tommy understands he's got a long journey ahead of him - but an exciting one, especially with how far prosthetic technology has come.

"Oh God, there's so many things I'm so excited to do that I haven't been able to do for years," he shared. “I'm looking into getting into sort of long hikes before graduating to climbing mountains - that's something that I'd love to do.

"I also played rugby for about six years until my foot did get the better of me, and there is an amputee rugby group online - I've had plenty of people reach out saying, 'look, I've lost my leg. Doesn't stop me from playing rugby', or, 'doesn't stop me from playing football'. You know? There's so many different sports."

Instead of a life filled with 'nos, can'ts and don'ts', the future is now on Tommy's terms - and he's itching to get out there.

"Now that I am an amputee, I just want to prove everyone wrong and redefine my disability," he added.