A South Carolina woman is recovering after losing her leg following a fire that broke out at her apartment complex last month.
When the River Oaks apartments in Irmo burst into flames days before Christmas, Shawnteal Boyd had one thought: to get her children out safely. However, this was made more difficult since they lived on the third story. Noticing the bystanders outside, she went into action.
"I did what I thought was the best thing to do," she said. "I just did what I was supposed to do."
In an effort to save her children's lives, she tossed her 1 year old and 1 month old from the window to the bystanders outside before finally making the jump herself. While her family was safe, her actions came at a personal cost. She ended up breaking her leg in several places. After multiple attempts to save it, including metal plates and screws, an infection led to it being amputated.
Boyd of course wishes she still had her leg, but she is grateful for her family's safety.
"I want my leg. I can't get up and move around," she said. "I have to accept it for what it is. I'm still here and my kids are still here so that's the blessing of it all."
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