For Spencer, patience has been essential to learning how his prosthesis works and how to approach his overall recovery. It’s the advice he gives to anyone who’s starting their prosthetic journey. “For me, the importance of patience started in the burn center.” After Spencer was severely burned during a duplex fire in May of 2024, he spent about four and a half months at the Legacy Burn Center. You can learn more about Spencer’s injury and recovery by viewing the video the burn center made about him.

Spencer: “Before I went to Arm Dynamics, I wasn’t sure what was possible. The first conversation I had with the care team was amazing. I met my prosthetist, Mac, and my occupational therapist, Jamison. Mac told me, ‘You’re going to get really good at utilizing what you have left you’re gonna learn to do life.’ When we spoke with Spencer, he’d had his right-hand prostheses for half a year and was just about to be fit with his new left-hand device. “They let me know that it wasn’t like I was going to put my prosthetics on a nightstand and when I woke up, I’d put them on, and they would replace what I had lost. It let me know where to set my expectations. They wanted to help me figure out the tasks that I couldn’t do and provide me with the prosthesis that would allow me to do those tasks.”

In January 2025, Spencer was fit with four different devices for his dominant right hand. On one frame, he uses a body-powered Naked Prosthetics MCP and Thumb Driver. He can also switch to a passive-positional Point Partial Digit and a silicone tip protector for his thumb. This setup allows him to perform pinching tasks.

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Spencer's Naked Prosthetics devices

“I still haven’t incorporated my prosthesis into everything I do. Like, I take it everywhere, but I still forget to wear it sometimes. There are times where I’ll be like, dang, I wish I was wearing that right now. But I still use it a lot at work to grasp things like tools and axes at the Gresham Fire Training Center, where I’m an instructor. I know when I get my left-hand device, that will make a big difference too. When I first put on the right-hand device, though, it gave me a glimpse of my future. Like, I have a long way to go, but maybe someday I can get back on the line."

“I use my device at home too. I have a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old son, and I use my prosthesis to change my younger son’s diaper. One of the things that is really helpful is the thumb protectors they fit me with – just silicone molds that protect my sensitive thumb. I keep those in the kitchen so it’s easier for me to use knives.”

What do Spencer’s kids think about his prosthesis? “Oh, they think it’s so cool. My five-year-old thought it was amazing: ‘Wow! Can you open doors now?’ Spencer laughed at the memory. “I told him I could always open doors, buddy. But then he had me go around the house testing all sorts of tasks. It was fun.”

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Spencer's five-year-old with Spencer's device

For Spencer, there’s a lot of helping others by helping himself. “When I am patient with myself and others, people feed off that – they see that I’m not getting frustrated, so why should they be? I want to get back to where I was before, and I’m not there yet, but I have gone bow hunting.” Spencer had just returned from that week-long trip in Southern Oregon when we spoke with him. “That was huge for me. It gave me a sense of purpose. Going back to work, getting back out there, proving to myself that there are still parts of the job that I can do. I’m still a valuable asset. I just have to take it slow, not get caught up in the idea of, ‘Well, this is the way I used to do it, so I’m going to be upset if I can’t do it the same way.’ There’s a lot of adapting.”

Spencer also received a lot of help. “It was overwhelming. Family, friends, and then of course my team of firefighters. They can’t help you in the hospital, so they were at my house, mowing my lawn, building a shed. They just were like ‘I gotta do something.’ It’s been continuous, all the nurses, now all the people at Arm Dynamics, it’s been an incredible journey. I never thought I'd be in this situation, but I'm really glad and happy that I got to meet everyone who has been there for me and become my friend.”

Spencer has had a lot of difficulties over the past year and a half, but when the anniversary of his injury was approaching, he found himself looking forward to it. “A bunch of us friends went out. We all dressed in our jumpsuits to go out and have fun with the crew. Whoever wanted to come out for dinner and drinks. We didn’t talk about the fire – though a group of us did go out to the house. Just trying to stay positive, saying to ourselves, ‘This moment stays here at this house, we get to go and live our lives.’ So yeah, I saw some people I hadn’t been able to see for a while – that fire affected a lot of people. I think it helped others to see me doing as well as I am.”

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Spencer and his colleagues at a Gresham Fire graduation ceremony

We’re so glad that Spencer’s burn center recommended him to us – our Portland team has had an exciting time working with him. Spencer’s occupational therapist, Jamison, had this to say: “Spencer is a powerful example of resilience and adaptability. What’s remarkable is that his core hasn’t changed — his interests, passions, and drive remain the same. What has changed is his perspective. He’s embraced the mindset of simply getting out there and trying things. He’s returned to work as an instructor at the fire training center, resumed many of his hobbies, and continues to be an engaged and dedicated father — adapting as needed to meet new challenges. He’s always looking for ways to improve his life and stay active, like his bow hunt that I know he was excited about. He brings a unique and grounded perspective on how life-altering events shape us — not by erasing who we are, but by reshaping how we navigate the world.”

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A candid shot with Jamison (left), Spencer, Mac (right) and Cullen, Portland center's prosthetic technician (back)

If you or someone you know is interested in receiving upper limb prosthetic rehabilitation from a team of individuals who see you, listen to you, understand your needs and goals, and want to provide you with the best holistic care, please contact us. If you’d like to leave a comment for us or for us to pass along to Spencer, please do so below.

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