One minute Hari was enjoying a ride on his motorcycle in Irvine and the next he was launched into the air, when broadsided by a car. “I landed on my hands, breaking my wrist and the top of my left foot was completely ripped off,” recalls Hari. “I called my 911 and my wife, Asha.”

Asha met Hari at a local hospital where they were immediately told Hari was going to lose his left foot and part of his leg. Hari had lost bone in his left foot, damaged nerves and an extensive section of skin was missing, severing blood supply.

“The ER doctor told me they needed to amputate Hari’s foot, which was unacceptable to me,” explains Asha. She immediately called her sister, a physician, for advice. Her sister referred Hari to board-certified orthopedic surgeon Stephen L. Tocci, MD at Mission Hospital.

“I can still remember the day when Dr. Tocci first walked into Hari’s room at Mission Hospital,” says Asha. “He was filled with positive energy. I had this strong feeling that my husband was in good hands.”

Among the first words Dr. Tocci said to Hari: “You and I are a team. We are going to work together, taking one step at a time to save your foot.” His perspective meant a great deal to Hari, who firmly believes in the connection between mind, body and soul.

Dr. Tocci, Mission Hospital’s chairman of the Department of Orthopedics, was confident that he could save Hari’s foot, but was also realistic and ready for the many challenges that a patient with such complex injuries can face. Hari would undergo five surgeries at Mission Hospital; one repairing his broken wrist, and four others treating his ankle and foot. Hari required 11 screws, a metal plate and a bone graft to save his foot.

“Our dedicated orthopedic teams and operating rooms help ensure patients like Hari have the best possible care,” shares Dr. Tocci.

Three weeks later, Hari was discharged from Mission Hospital. Today, he’s back to hiking, cycling and even riding his motorcycle. Hari is doing so well that he recently led his family on a hike on a steep mountain path through the Western Ghat mountain ranges in India.