“It was just us crazy people on that day, just having fun,” said Tracey White, who convinced Dr. Omni B. Ayalon to join her in a frigid polar bear plunge.
Credit: Tracey White
Pain after a half marathon led to a devastating leg amputation for Tracey White, only to have her suffer continued ongoing pain and wounds after the amputation.
The doctor who ultimately brought her relief—orthopedic surgeon Omri B. Ayalon, MD, co-director of the Center for Amputation Reconstruction at NYU Langone Orthopedics—also made her a promise: if she gave herself time to heal properly before getting back to her active lifestyle, he’d do one of her beloved activities, a polar bear swim, with her. After White recovered from the successful surgery, he made good on that promise, plunging with her into the freezing water at Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York, on a windy, 25-degree Saturday in January.
“We had fun,” White said. “It was just us crazy people on that day, just having fun. I know Dr. Ayalon is a great doctor, but he’s also a great man for keeping his promise, something you just don’t see too much today.”
Pain After a Race
After completing the Virtual New York City Marathon in 2020, White decided to run the Brooklyn Half Marathon with her daughter in 2021. Her right foot really hurt during that race. Afterward, she sought medical attention from a podiatrist who shaved what was believed to be a callus but turned out to be a bone at the surface of the skin, which ultimately broke open. Fixing the bone required three corrective surgeries.
In November of 2021, an X-ray showed a crack in the middle of her foot, and during Thanksgiving weekend, her foot broke in half. In immense pain, she went to an emergency room, where she learned she needed the bottom part of her leg amputated because of a serious bacterial infection: she was at risk for sepsis.
Unfortunately, with the leg amputation, came issues. The amputation did not work well with a prosthetic. It caused pain and led to wounds that risked infection and didn’t allow White to continue running and the active lifestyle she enjoyed.
“Moments like these, where patients overcome obstacles and reclaim their lives, are what make this work so rewarding,” said Dr. Ayalon.
Credit: Tracey White
“The way it was cut was on an angle and jagged,” said White. “Every time I would walk, I would get a wound. I was walking great, but the bone kept hitting the prosthetic until it broke through to a wound. I went to a walking clinic, and they said, ‘You need a revision.’”
A Revision Gives Comfort and a New Opportunity
White eventually found Dr. Ayalon, who revised the amputation at the end of 2023 and was able to enroll her in a clinical trial to test out a vacuum-suspension prosthetic leg.
“I was thrilled to see Tracey’s progress after surgery. At the Center for Amputation Reconstruction at NYU, our goal is to help patients regain their independence and return to the activities they love, no longer defined by their injuries,” said Dr. Ayalon. “In Tracey’s case, she posed a unique challenge—if she recovered, I had to join her for a polar bear plunge. I gladly accepted, and witnessing her determination and resilience made the experience truly unforgettable. Moments like these, where patients overcome obstacles and reclaim their lives, are what make this work so rewarding.”
Along with polar bear plunges, White participates in surfing events and is hoping to get back to running soon.
Media Inquiries
Marlene Naanes
Phone: 646-754-5016
Marlene.Naanes@NYULangone.org
