At age 16, Dr. Hey was hit by a car, suffering a severe tibia fracture with 2 inch loss of bone. While amputation was initially suggested, Dr. Pitman offered to help rebuild the leg and his life, which took 11 surgeries, 3 months in the hospital, and a couple years of additional therapy. The external fixator had strength problems, inhibiting healing, so Dr. Hey applied his tinkering and redesigned the frame, which decreased the pain and enhanced stability for bone healing.  These experiences led to a vision of combining his experience as a patient, engineering and innovation to directly help patients in the future.