Nurse from West Valley loses his leg due to uncommon bacterial infection acquired during vacation

A nurse from the West Valley in Arizona finds himself unexpectedly in a challenging situation after having his left leg amputated due to a rare bacterial infection he contracted while vacationing in Florida.

For more than 15 years, Ed Rivas worked as a trach nurse in Peoria. His experience in the medical field helped him recognize the severity of his condition after sustaining a cut on his foot in July.

“I took my shoe off, and I see my foot is now just massive and purple,” Rivas recalled. 

Following the injury, Ed and his wife Maria wasted no time and hurried to the hospital. Upon examination, the doctor delivered the devastating news that Ed had MRSA, a type of staph infection known for its resistance to most antibiotics. Faced with the urgent decision to amputate his leg or risk the infection spreading, Ed and his wife had less than a day to make a critical choice.

“He said, your infection is in the bone now and in your blood, and these antibiotics aren’t doing anything. We may need to take your foot,” Rivas said.

They made the decision to perform surgery on his left leg, removing it from just below the knew down. Since that August day, Rivas says he’s relied on his family for support.

“There’s so many little things that you take for granted that are tough to do now, but I have my wife and my two boys, and I lean on all of them a lot, so we’re doing okay,” he said.

Weekly doctors appointments, mounting medical bills, and a six month stint without work hasn’t made his recovery any easier. His family has set up a GoFundMe page that has raised over $20,000 to help him buy a prosthetic leg next month.

“I’m still some time away from that, but the wife keeps reminding me, you know, in God’s time, in God’s time,” Rivas said.

If you’d like to support Ed’s road to recovery, you can donate here.

For Ed, life changes have been numerous in 2024. None more eye-opening than the way he has been treated in public since he has been in a wheelchair these past five months.

“They’ll cut you off in line. They’ll do whatever to get ahead of you. They’ll take your spot. They’ll block your spot,” Rivas said of how he’s been treated.

He hopes sharing his story will serve as a reminder to slow down and be courteous of people with disabilities. His experience has brought a new mission to his life.

“I want to do something about this. I want to fight for their rights,” Rivas said.

Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.