'I'm excited for this challenge' says London, Ont. man who lost both legs in workplace injury

'I'm excited for this challenge' says London, Ont. man who lost both legs in workplace injury

Sem Thin is learning how to live the next chapter of his life in a wheelchair

Everything seemed to be going as usual at a Woodstock, Ont., steel factory just moments before 42-year-old Sem Thin's life changed forever.

The London resident was nearing the end of his shift on June 3 when he used a crane to lift a five-tonne steel coil, a task he describes as doing "a hundred-million times" before.

"I'm not too sure what happened, but it started to roll and it tipped over on me. All I remember from that is being under the coil and screaming for help," Thin said.

"I looked at my [co-worker] and said 'I'm not going to have legs.' I think he tried not to give me a response because he knew my legs were gone."

After a brief stint at Woodstock Hospital, Thin was transferred to Victoria Hospital where both of his legs were amputated above the knee.

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He is now entering his forth week of rehabilitation at Parkwood Institute with an even longer road to recovery ahead, but Thin said he's choosing to make the best of it.

"It's weird to say but I'm kind of excited for this challenge. You know, 42 years with legs. Now, I'm going to do it without legs," he said. "It's a new chapter in my life that I'm ready to take over."

Thin's injury happened at the ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Canada factory in Woodstock. CBC News reached out to the company for comment, but did not receive response at the time of publication.

An Ontario Ministry of Labour spokesperson confirmed in a statement that it was made aware of an incident at that factory on June 3 and that an investigation is ongoing.

Thin said his workplace has been supportive of his recovery journey and that many of his coworkers, along with other friends and family, have come to visit him.

"A lot of them have been that rock for me," Thin said.

One of those people is his older sister, Sophea Thin, who rushed from Ottawa after learning about the accident.

"Maybe an hour after he woke up from sedation, we were right in his face crying, hugging him, just happy that he's still here with us," she said, adding that she continues to feel emotional about the experience.

"But when you see the person, meaning Sem, being so strong about it, you don't have any other choice but to put on a brave face."

Thin said he's taken to using his wheelchair quickly, being able to maneuver on and off with ease, and travel efficiently around the hospital premises.

"I was in and out of the hospital a lot. The doctors and nurses were always trying to find me," he said.

Despite the positivity, Thin's new lifestyle doesn't come without challenges and questions about what's next.

"When it comes to accessibility, I never really thought about it until this happened," he admitted.

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One of the biggest challenges will be Thin's living arrangements. His family currently lives in a rental home with several flights of stairs, which is not wheelchair accessible.

He is in the process of finding a space at a retirement home to practice independent living for the next three months — a mandatory step before he can get prosthetics — but it's still unclear what will happen after.

Thin's sister started a GoFundMe campaign, with the goal of using the funds to help her brother make necessary adjustments.

"I just want him to be able to live a normal life, just like everybody else," she said.

Thin said he expects to learn more about how to navigate the world with a disability in the years ahead, but has already learned plenty of lessons in the past month.

"Life is short. You've got to take advantage of what you have and be happy because at any time, things will just randomly or dramatically change and you've got to be prepared for it," he said.

Kendra Seguin is a reporter/editor with CBC London. She is interested in writing about music, culture and communities. You can probably find her at a local show or you can email her at kendra.seguin@cbc.ca.