Arizona Grandfather Faces Amputation After Hour on Scorching Pavement

Clear Facts

• Grant Siler, 72, collapsed on a Bullhead City sidewalk during 120-degree heat on August 3, suffering severe burns and heat stroke
• The grandfather lay on scorching pavement for an estimated hour before being discovered, sustaining second and third-degree burns and organ shock
• Doctors determined his right leg tissue was too severely damaged to heal, scheduling an above-knee amputation for August 31

A 72-year-old Arizona grandfather is preparing for a major amputation after collapsing on a scorching sidewalk during extreme heat in early August. Grant Siler fell while walking in Bullhead City on August 3, when temperatures soared to 120 degrees.

Siler remained on the ground for at least an hour before a passerby discovered him. During that time, his body temperature climbed above 105 degrees, and the blistering pavement caused devastating injuries across multiple areas of his body.

Emergency responders transported Siler to a burn intensive care unit in Las Vegas, where medical staff discovered the full extent of his injuries. He had sustained second and third-degree burns, heat stroke, and multiple organ shock from the prolonged exposure.

“He is in constant pain, can barely move, and has undergone two debridements. Also, he will soon need to undergo surgery for amputation, the extent is not yet known,” his family wrote on a GoFundMe fundraiser.

During surgical examination, doctors made a grim discovery. The tissue in Siler’s right leg had been so severely damaged by the heat that full recovery was impossible.

Medical professionals determined that an above-knee amputation would give Siler the best chance at managing pain and achieving a faster overall recovery. The procedure is scheduled for August 31.

“The plan now is to have an above-knee amputation. The Dr’s feel he will overall heal faster and have better pain control this way,” the fundraiser explains.

“We can all imagine that after any amputation, the road to recovery is long and hard…physically, mentally and emotionally.”

Siler’s wife, Vicki, has been making a three-hour round trip to visit her husband while continuing to work to meet the family’s financial obligations. The couple now faces mounting medical bills and the costs associated with Siler’s long-term recovery and rehabilitation.

The family is accepting donations to help cover home renovations for accessibility, medical supplies, prosthetics, and other unexpected expenses that will arise during his recovery.

His daughter, Heather Crook, described her father as extraordinarily tough, recalling an incident when he dropped an 80-pound cinderblock on his foot but refused even to take a Tylenol.

“He’s hurting really bad,” Crook said.

“He’s the ‘get up and walk it off’ type.”

“So for him to holler out in pain … it’s really hard to hear. That’s not the kind of person that he is,” she added.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by extreme heat in the Southwest, particularly for older Americans. Arizona has seen record-breaking temperatures this summer, creating life-threatening conditions even during routine outdoor activities.

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