Model who had legs amputated due to COVID leaves hospital for birthday
nypost.com
A young model forced to have both her legs amputated due to COVID-19 complications has been released from the hospital just in time for her 21st birthday.
Claire Bridges finally returned to her family home last Wednesday after spending two months at a medical facility in Tampa, Florida.
Bridges, who was born with a congenital heart condition, tested positive for COVID-19 in early January.
Despite being fully vaccinated, the brunette suffered serious symptoms from the virus and was admitted to the hospital on January 16.
On admission, the youngster was diagnosed with COVID-19 myocarditis, cyanotic, acidosis, rhabdomyolysis and mild pneumonia.
Blood flow was restricted to her legs and the damage was serious enough that doctors decided they had no choice but to amputate.

Claire Bridges, 20, had both her legs amputated after suffering complications from COVID-19. The Florida-based model was released from the hospital last Thursday following a two-month stay.clurby/CEN

Bridges is pictured in a social media snap taken last summer. The stunning brunette was planning to pursue professional modeling prior to her COVID diagnosis.@clurby/CEN

Bridges has documented her progress on her
popular Instagram page,sharing a photo last week just before she was released from the hospital showing herself sitting up in a bed surrounded by her carers.@clurby/CEN
Bridges subsequently spent weeks recovering from both COVID and the double amputation.
The brunette has documented her progress on her
popular Instagram page, sharing a photo last week just before she was released from the hospital showing herself sitting up in a bed surrounded by her carers.
“I sat up by myself today!! So stoked!” she captioned the post.
Followers have been floored by her resilience, with one admirer writing beneath the snap: “I don’t know you but I have been rooting for you and checking in on your socials for weeks!! You are freaking amazing!! And SO stunning even while in the hospital. Your smile is radiant. Keep going.”

Bridges is seen prior to her release from the hospital last week. Followers have been floored by the beauty’s resilience and smiling spirit.@clurby/CEN

It’s unclear whether Bridges plans to pursue modeling once she learns to walk with her prosthetic legs. She is pictured in a professional photo taken last year.@clurby/CEN

Bridges’ family was thrilled she was able to return home just in time to celebrate her 21st birthday last Saturday.@clurby/CEN
Meanwhile, Bridges’ father, Wayne, told
Newsweek he was thrilled that his daughter was able to be home in time for her 21st birthday last weekend.
“She is very happy to be home around family and friends. We had a cookout for her on Saturday, which was her birthday,” he stated.
“It’s been mentally, emotionally taxing but we’re hopeful now. She is still facing more challenges but we are focused on today having her home,” he added. “She’s having ongoing rehab with physical and occupational therapy, and healing of her legs to start getting ready for prosthetics.”

Support system: Bridges uploaded this photo of herself with her brother as she celebrated her 21st birthday at home last weekend.@clurby/CEN

Bridges’ Instagram account is full of both test shoots and professional photos, with the beauty seemingly on the brink of a big career prior to her COVID diagnosis.@clurby/CEN
It’s unclear whether Bridges plans to pursue modeling once she learns to walk with her prosthetic legs.
Her Instagram account is full of both test shoots and professional photos, with the beauty seemingly on the brink of a big career prior to her COVID diagnosis.
However, Bridges’ father says the fighting spirit his daughter has displayed in the past two months means anything is possible.

Bridges’ father paid tribute to his daughter’s fighting spirit in a recent Facebook post. She is pictured after returning to her Tampa home last week.@clurby/CEN
“I am so proud of you and inspired by you,” he wrote in a recent Facebook post. “You have overcome more in two months than any of us could imagine in a lifetime. You will be climbing again before you know it.”
A
GoFundMe campaign to help with Bridges’ medical care has so far reached nearly $40,000 of its $100,000 target