Dad Still Haunted by Memory of Running Over Son's Leg with Lawn Mower 14 Years Ago
Fourteen years have passed since father Brett Bainter accidentally ran over his son’s leg with a lawnmower. It was a split-second moment that forever changed the trajectory of the Bainter family’s lives.
Jake Bainter, 4 at the time, was riding his bike while his father mowed the lawn.
Without realizing the boy had followed him, Bainter put the mower in reverse, and little Jake was left with an irreparable injury.
“That haunts me still,” Bainter, now 51, told PEOPLE. “I looked down and his upper torso was coming out of the mower deck.”
“I lifted the mower off of him and I scooped him up and I had him in my arms,” Bainter recalled. “I was screaming more than he was. But he was screaming a lot.”
After a series of complicated surgeries in an attempt to save his leg, Jake ultimately decided to become an amputee. He was 9 years old.
Now 18, Jake is living a vibrant, full life. He enjoys fishing and hunting, and excels in math and biology.
Jake’s story is also helping others. Families with children facing amputation have turned to the Bainter family for hope, encouragement, and advice.
While Jake’s mother, Jodi Bainter, was faithful in helping other families walk through similar tragedies, she realized the importance of lawnmower accident prevention.
“I was tired of talking to these families after their kids were already amputees,” Jodi said.
In August 2015, Jodi founded an organization called Limbs Matter, with a focus on keeping kids safe. Jodi Bainter recruited 13 families from across the United States who had a lawnmower accident story to tell.
Their message is clear — keep children indoors while mowing the lawn. Jodi frequently speaks to audiences about lawnmower safety, sharing her son’s story in hopes it will prevent other families from suffering.
“Our work is not done until we can spread the word and save other families from going through what we did,” Jodi says. “We have to keep other kids safe.”
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