A man who lost a leg in a car accident claims that it actually saved his life

EDMOND, Okla. – A car wreck took his leg, but a man from Edmond said that it had really saved his life.

"I woke up in another life, yes, I woke up in another life," Thomas Hill told KFOR.

Hill does not remember much of the day that changed everything.

"Oh, it was a nice weekend," he said.

Nearly three years ago, a routine trip to Hill's personal training center nearly ended his life.

"Just a monster car crash," he said.

Hill's car left the road. He was transported to the OR medical center. He lost his leg above his hip and his chest was almost destroyed.

"I lost half of my pelvic bones and a lot of my bowels," he said. Doctors attribute his survival to Hill's physical form.

During their stay in the OR, doctors discovered that Hill had cancer – having discovered and removed several tumors in both kidneys. He admits that his doctors, Alisa and Brian Cross (who are married), saved his life.

"I could have undergone quite another fight that I could very well have lost," he said.

It took about 9 months before Hill could even return to Next Level Fitness. In fact, he was not even able to sit in his chair until this weekend.

"Such little things can bring so much joy to a person," he said. "Incredible, it's amazing."

Hill chairs clients who face health issues.

"I think I can really help others overcome their challenge because I understand their challenge now, I'm more empathetic because I see it myself," he said.

Hill is not just their personal trainer, though. He is also his.

Hill is determined to stay alone again.

"If you're still standing, you're still breathing, there's never a time when you can not do anything," he said. "It's the most important thing I had in my bed when I woke up – get rid of saying I can not, because if I did not stop saying that I could not I would never do it. "

Hill will receive Friday's UO Medicine Trauma Survivor Award for his courage and strength in the face of adversity.

Hill is very active in sharing his inspirational journey on social media. You can follow him on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.