Father of 2 Was Hit by a Car and Lost His Foot, Moments After Lunch with His Family: He Has ‘a Long Road Ahead,’ Wife Says

A father in England lost his foot after being hit by a car just moments after leaving lunch with his family.

Lewis Rimmer was struck in October, shortly after he, his wife, and their two daughters — ages 5 and 10 — ate at a café near their home, the BBC reported.

The 41-year-old suffered a broken pelvis and fractures to both femurs and three ribs, along with a compound fracture to his right shin. He was also treated for a ruptured bladder and endured two bowel ruptures. His left foot was severely damaged and later had to be amputated, according to the BBC.

Lewis was airlifted to a nearby hospital and underwent more than 40 hours of surgery, the outlet reported.

A 56-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving while under the influence, per the BBC. His name has not been made public.

Lewis’ wife, Sarah Rimmer, said he had taken the afternoon off work to celebrate their oldest daughter’s birthday.

After the family gathering, she said he went out to buy a lottery ticket — something he did every week — and that’s when the crash happened. “He couldn’t believe it,” Sarah, 37, told the BBC. “He went to buy a lottery ticket and lost his left foot.” She added that their daughters were not with him at the time. “Luckily, both the girls were with me.”

A GoFundMe has since been set up for Lewis, and Sarah said her husband has “a long road ahead.” She described him as resilient, saying he has been “amazing” through the ordeal.

She added that their daughters are coping as well as possible under the circumstances. “We’re both really proud of them because they’ve been fantastic through it all,” she told the BBC. “Your child should never have to learn what the intensive care unit is going to look like, where your daddy is. It just shouldn’t happen, it’s horrible.”

Sarah said the family is leaning on one another as they adjust to the changes ahead. “I think because we’ve got the girls, you can’t just sit and wallow,” she said, adding that Lewis feels the same way. “You’ve got to be strong for the kids and move forward.”