A Detroit man's horrific injury in a forklift accident is a stark reminder of workplace safety

DETROIT (FOX 2) – For 24-year-old Shalone Grafton, who was seriously injured at work two and a half years ago, physical therapy has become a way of life.

“I was working at a factory. I had just been hired and had been there for about three days,” Grafton told FOX 2.

He was training on the factory floor when out of nowhere another worker appeared with a forklift and hit him in the leg.

“When I looked up, I saw a Hi-Lo coming at me at full speed,” Grafton said. “I got hit and when I looked down, all I saw was bones.”

From that moment on, Grafton's life changed forever.

Shalone Grafton after his forklift accident at work.

“My foot was no longer connected to my leg,” he said. “At that moment, I just thought, 'Was this my fault? Will I ever be able to walk again?'”

Life-changing accidents occur far too often in the workplace.

“Basically, their lives at work are turned upside down in a split second,” said Denzel Henderson, a physical therapist at the DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan in downtown Detroit.

According to the National Safety Council, there were a total of 4.53 million work-related injuries that required medical evaluation in 2022.

Safe+Sound Week is currently underway, a campaign by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to promote safety in the workplace.

Dr. Henderson said he has seen catastrophic injuries like Grafton's happen when people aren't careful and safety procedures aren't followed.

“An injury can occur in a second, and then it takes much longer to recover from such accidents,” Henderson said.

At DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, doctors assess a patient's strength, range of motion and mobility and then set goals to get people back to where they want to be.

Shalone Grafton during rehabilitation at the DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan.

“Over time, a lot of these things get better,” Henderson said. “You just have to keep working and have the right attitude – you'll get better.”

It is this kind of positive attitude that led Grafton to learn to walk again.

“Never give up. It's going to be tough, there's going to be a lot of tough days,” Grafton said. “But if you get through the tougher days, the days get easier. I can definitely say that; it's a testimony.”

The 24-year-old has undergone 10 surgeries and multiple skin grafts and still struggles with pain – but he sets goals and exceeds them as he looks forward to playing with his nieces and nephews.

“To be able to live a somewhat normal life again – that would be great,” Grafton said.

Shalone Grafton (far right) with his family.