Laser engraving company gives Milford amputee purpose, reason to thrive

MILFORD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Brandon Smith shattered his right leg when he fell out of a tree stand while hunting.

"I couldn't get up, I couldn't pick my leg up," he said.

He had more than a dozen surgeries to save his leg. However, infections caused problems and he was forced to spend 160 days in the hospital. 

Doctors even tried to save his leg by transplanting an artery.

"They took an artery from my arm, and they put it in my leg to try to save it, and it still didn’t work," he said.

In 2018, the decision was made to amputate his leg.

It was tough news for the father, husband Ford employee, and reserve police officer.

"I had to create something to take the stress off of him," Nicole Smith, Brandon's wife said. "I started looking, at different companies, different things that I enjoy doing that I knew that I knew we could be successful at, but financially I couldn’t do it myself."

Nicole Smith was able to create Cutting Edge Laser Engraving in her mother's garage. It gave Brandon Smith purpose and a new reason to thrive. 

"There was a lot of times, that I would cry and ask the Lord, ‘When is it our turn to give back?’" Nicole Smith said. "I want to be able to help my kids, the way my parents have been able to step in and help us."

Brandon Smith said it is great to see customers smile when they see their personalized items made by Cutting Edge.

He does have another big goal on his mind – to go through the Michigan State Police academy.