After 6-Year-Old Boy Loses Foot in 'Freak' Lawn Mower Accident, Tips on Keeping Kids Safe While Cutting Grass

Every year, 80,000 people end up at the hospital with lawnmower injuries.

Every year, 80,000 people, including 5,000 children, end up at the hospital with lawnmower injuries. The mother of 6-year-old Jonah Douglas is recounting one such "freak accident" that recently led to the boy's foot being amputated.

Bethany Douglas told Inside Edition that Jonah ran up behind her while she was cutting the grass on a riding mower. Then, she backed up, accidentally running over his foot without knowing he was there.

"I looked back, Jonah was back there, he was kind of stumbling back on one leg," Bethany said. "He was screaming and I looked down and his foot had been partially severed."

Luckily, Bethany is a trauma nurse.

"My mind kind of split very evenly between like nurse mode and mom mode," she said.

Jonah was rushed to a Missouri hospital and had to have his foot amputated. His parents and doctors have been amazed by his positive attitude.

The ordeal is a reminder of the dangers of lawnmowers. Reporter Alison Hall spoke to home safety expert Jason Cameron.

"You want to make sure that all kids are well-removed from the area or indoors to be absolutely safe," Cameron said. "You start talking to me, I can't hear you, especially with this running. So while I'm doing the mowing, I also want to completely scan constantly while I'm mowing to make sure there's nobody around me. Really important."

As for young Jonah, he's making progress in leaps and bounds, walking on his prosthetic foot, and having light saber fights with his brother. When Bethany is blaming herself for what happened, Jonah is there for her.

"He just said, 'Mama, that was my stinkiest foot, that was my worst foot. I don't miss that foot, you shouldn't miss that foot,'" his dad told Inside Edition. 

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