A 54-year-old British man, Stephen Ball, became disabled after a mountaineering accident. Now equipped with a custom-made high-tech prosthetic limb embedded with an ice axe—resembling a real-life "Edward Scissorhands"—he has regained his joy for climbing.
Living in Cumbria in northwest England, Ball was caught in a terrifying blizzard while attempting to climb Mount McKinley (the highest peak in North America) in Alaska in 1999. He fell about 600 meters during the mishap.
Rescued after being trapped for several hours, Ball survived but lost parts of his left hand, several fingers and the thumb on his right hand, part of his nose, and his right foot due to severe frostbite.
His left leg also had to be amputated after suffering twelve compound fractures.
Initially, Ball thought his mountaineering days were over, but he sought help from technicians at the Cumberland Infirmary’s Disablement Services Centre in England. Technician Miles came up with a creative solution, crafting a specialized "axe hand" prosthetic designed specifically for ice climbing. He also invented a sliding mechanical mechanism that allows Ball to adjust the position of the ice axe. After using it, Ball found it even more handy than he had imagined.