Farmer hands crutch to doctor who saved him before walking daughter down the aisle

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.

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Richmond, Missouri, farmer Reason Swafford took a FaceTime call from his daughter while recovering in his University Health hospital room on Wednesday.

“Looks like you all are doing alright," he said with a smile to his daughter and new son-in-law as they honeymoon in the Caribbean.

Chris Morrison/KSHB

Just 11 days before, Swafford achieved his goal of walking his daughter down the aisle.

“My goal was to walk her down the aisle when the wedding came," Swafford said.

Swafford made the goal after he got his leg amputated in January.

He was helping his neighbor move a barn when it fell on his left leg in June 2025. He's suffered multiple infections since.

“I said (to his wife) you can tell the kids, 'I love them,' and I love you, and I will see you on the other side one of these days," Swafford said. "She grabbed my thumbs and very sternly said, ‘You are going to make it. Do you understand me? You’re going to fight.’”

Jacki Swafford

That fateful day, his femur broke and cut his femoral artery. He says he almost bled to death.

“I had a 5% chance of survival," he said.

Swafford said his faith brought him to University Health.

“It was totally a God thing," Swafford said. "He placed those gentlemen here.” 

University Health

Swafford is talking about Dr. Peter Everson and Dr. David Shanberg. The two treated Swafford after he was airlifted to University Health.

Swafford says he formed an instant friendship with Everson.

“This is the guy that didn’t give up on me," Swafford said.

As Swafford walked his daughter down the aisle, he said it was a full-circle moment in his relationship with Everson.

“I walked with a crutch down the aisle — halfway — and he was positioned there in a certain spot where I stopped and handed off the crutch to him and continued the rest of the way on my own," Swafford said. "It was very symbolic.”

On Wednesday, Swafford's team at University Health continued cheering him on so he can achieve his next goal: returning to farming.

“It’s been a long, tough road, but it’s been very rewarding, the relationships we’ve made," Swafford said.

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