Paul Wild

After losing his leg following complications from knee replacement surgery, Paul faced the challenge of adapting to a very different way of life. Today, thanks to osseointegration and rehabilitation, he has returned to travelling and acting, while continuing to pursue the experiences that matter most to him.

Originally from Southampton, Paul moved to London in 1996 to pursue a career in acting. Over the next 30 years, he built a life around creativity, working as an actor while also spending many years working at the Imperial War Museum. Travel, performance and new experiences were all important parts of his life.

In 2015, aged 55, Paul underwent a knee replacement after a previous injury became increasingly painful. Unfortunately, complications, including infections within the replacement knee, led to four years of pain and ongoing treatment. What was meant to improve his quality of life instead became a prolonged and difficult period that eventually resulted in an above-knee amputation at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in October 2018. Following the surgery, Paul faced the challenge of adapting to a very different way of life and an uncertain future.

A turning point came while watching the Paralymics. Paul noticed a shot-put athlete remove her prosthetic leg after competing, sparking his curiosity about the technology. After doing some research, he discovered the osseointegration procedures offered by Dr Norbert Kang at ReLimb and decided to investigate whether it could offer a solution to the challenges he faced with a traditional prosthesis.

Following his osseointegration surgery, Paul began a structured rehabilitation and physiotherapy programme that started with weight-bearing exercises before progressing to walking with crutches. Over time, he was able to move more freely and carry out everyday tasks with increased independence. As Paul recalls, "At first, I wasn't sure how I was going to get on with the rehabilitation, but the support from Dorset Orthopaedic meant that the progression was quite quick."

Looking back, he reflects on how quickly things changed once he built momentum, adding, "The beginning of the process was slow, but once I started walking, I really started to run, if you know what I mean?"

While the physical progress was important, one of Paul's biggest goals was surprisingly simple. He wanted to get back to socialising with friends and feeling comfortable in public settings again. Rebuilding that confidence became just as important as improving his mobility. As he continued through rehabilitation and became more comfortable on his prosthetic leg, he began thinking less about what he had lost and more about the things he wanted to do next.

Travel has always played a major role in Paul's life and became one of the clearest examples of how far he had progressed. Before osseointegration, he had travelled around the northern states of America using a wheelchair and TriRide. Afterwards, he challenged himself to do even more, embarking on a two-month journey across the southern states aboard an Amtrak train. Travelling from Miami to Los Angeles, he documented the trip through a series of vlogs for a travel company, sharing his experiences and demonstrating what was possible. Among the highlights were visits to some of the most iconic locations in the United States, including the Grand Canyon, where he captured footage of himself walking around one of the world's most recognisable landmarks.

His travels have since taken him to Morocco, where he rode on the back of a camel while wearing his prosthetic leg, and he continues to enjoy exploring new places whenever he can. Back home, another passion is riding his Harley-Davidson trike motorcycle, which was specially built for him by a friend.

Reflecting on how much life has changed since his amputation, Paul says, "I now have a life that has changed from being in a wheelchair to going around the world and showing other people what is possible with the right mindset."

Alongside travelling, Paul has continued doing what first brought him to London nearly three decades ago. Since his amputation, he has worked with an agent who specialises in representing disabled artists, helping him secure opportunities in film and theatre. He has auditioned for film roles, toured the UK as part of a theatre production and performed at the Camden Fringe Festival in 2025.

For Paul, being able to continue acting has been just as important as regaining his mobility. It has allowed him to remain part a profession he has loved for more than 30 years whilst showcasing that limb loss does not mean leaving your ambitions behind.

Today, Paul continues to lead an active lifestyle. Looking back, he sees his journey not in terms of what he has lost, but in finding ways to continue doing the things that matter most to him. That perspective is reflected in his advice to others, "the goals we set ourselves are not measured by our injuries or how many limbs we've lost, but by how we deal with them and keep moving forward."