“I waited until the time was right”: A New Mother’s Bionic Journey Begins in Pittsburgh

An ATV accident in 2019 claimed Ashley’s right arm, and she spent months trying to find a prosthetic that fit her life. “I tried all the major bionic arms,” she said. “I remember bawling my eyes out because they were so heavy. Heavy to the point where I thought, ‘I’m not putting money into something that will sit in a closet.’” Rather than force a solution, she made a promise to herself: she would wait until prosthetic technology actually met her needs.

Years later, life shifted again when Ashley found out she would be a mother.

She had already learned to navigate the world one-handed. “I feel like I’ve adapted really well,” she said. “But once I got pregnant, those thoughts started coming in. I got anxious and nervous. I felt like I might not do such a great job because I was limb-different.” She soon realized she could care for her daughter beautifully, but the physical strain of doing everything with one hand never truly let up. “I wanted something that could help with day-to-day life and give me more confidence as my daughter gets older and more active,” she said. “It would be nice to rock another arm again and feel some normalcy. To multitask again. To feel confident as a mom and as a woman.”

She also knew exactly what would not work. Earlier prostheses hadn’t met her needs. “I couldn’t use them for more than a few minutes without getting tired or frustrated,” she said of previous devices. Body-powered hooks were a non-starter. “They’re great for labor work, but not my day-to-day,” she added.

Still, she stayed hopeful. She quietly followed us on social media, noticing every update. “I saw your Hero Arm way back. I kept an eye on you guys and watched everything get better,” she said. “I loved that you were 3D printing because I knew that meant the arm would be lighter. I knew you would expand and grow, so I waited.”

Six years after her accident, that patience paid off. Ashley walked into our prosthetic clinic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to meet with certified prosthetist Katie Jeter and try the Hero PRO for the first time. “When you announced the Hero PRO, I said, ‘We need a meeting. This is insane. I want to know more,’” she said. “I waited until the time was right and the product was right.”

This appointment carried more weight than the evaluations she’d done years earlier because Ashley was now making decisions as a parent, not just as an amputee. Every feature mattered.

Her very first impression set the tone. “Even before I tried it on, knowing it was 3D printed was huge. And the battery being smaller and lighter is huge,” she said. The moment she lifted the Hero PRO, she felt the difference. “It is not heavy,” she said, flexing the bionic fingers. “It’s noticeable that it’s not my arm, but I’m not falling forward with it. It feels naturally better on me, closer than anything I have ever experienced.”

Katie highlighted why this mattered. “The powered thumb is a huge difference,” she explained. “She doesn’t have to manually move the thumb. It has powered rotation.” Ashley jumped in: “And waterproof too. As you released this arm, everything on my list was getting checked off. I kept going, ‘Whoa!’” She grinned and looked down at the sleek design. “It looks pretty cool. It is badass,” she said.

Beyond appearance and weight, the Hero PRO also had something Ashley had wanted: a training plan she could follow. “The Sidekick app is huge,” she said. “You are not just saying ‘figure it out.’ This is a tool for me to work on my progress and see how my muscles are responding. With the other arms I tried, you practiced on your own. You couldn’t train with it.” With Katie’s help, she built a training plan around her goals. “I need to start small because I have to build up my strength,” she said. “I haven’t used those muscles. I want to start small so I can get used to that before adding too much.”

As the conversation shifted toward her daily routines, Ashley didn’t hesitate to name the thing she’s been missing most. “Number one is being able to multitask,” she said. “I can hold a stroller, grab my phone, sip a coffee, and still open a door. I’ve been balancing everything with my stub. Doing normal things again would be huge.” She laughed and added, “I am constantly holding hot coffee to my chest while trying to open doors or carry boxes. I want to stop putting myself at risk.”

More than anything, she wanted something that supported her goals without slowing her down. “I wanted it to be a tool for my life,” she said. “I’ve mastered the ‘one-armness,’ but it will be cool to have something back again.” Toward the end of the appointment, she reflected on the years she spent waiting for technology to evolve. “I waited for this,” she said. “I wanted it to check every box that mattered, and it does. It checks every single box.”

Ashley left the Pittsburgh clinic with her new Hero PRO, a personalized training plan, and a sense of independence she hadn’t felt since before her accident. Her daughter is growing fast, her career continues to move forward, and now she finally has a prosthetic that feels good, and can keep up. For Ashley, it is a return to confidence, safety, and freedom.

If you have been waiting for the right moment or the right technology, we would love to meet you. To learn whether the Hero PRO could support your goals, book a free consultation with our clinical team.