Stefan Kurek

On December 27, 2023, I experienced a severe calcaneal fracture in my right foot after a cliff-jumping accident from an over 30-foot drop in the Bahamas. Given the severity of the injury and complexity of the surgery required, I visited multiple foot and ankle surgeons in NYC prior to undergoing the procedure. From my first interaction with the staff at HSS and Dr. David Levine, I knew they would be the best choice for me. The front desk, nurses, and general support staff are top-notch in terms of quality of work, responsiveness, and helpfulness.

My surgery was set for January 9, 2024, and my wedding was coming up on April 6, 2024, just under three months later. The recovery time for this injury is generally three months non-weightbearing, at which point only then one learns to walk again. All the other doctors told me that I would not be walking at my wedding and acted as if that was no big deal, which of course was devastating news for both me and my fiancée. Dr. Levine was careful not to overpromise anything, but he noted that given my age and level of health, if I took my PT seriously and did all the right things, there was a chance I could walk (and even dance!) at my own wedding. His bedside manner, calmness, and confidence in me during this time meant the world to my fiancée and me. I’m happy to report that I took my first steps ten days before my wedding, was able to walk down the aisle, dance, and was on my feet the entire day and night, then immediately flew out the next day for a two-week honeymoon (foot was sore but manageable through all this). By June 2024, I was cleared to run and began jogging again. For the Winter 2024/2025 season, I snowboarded over 15 days, and now over one year later I can confidently say that I’m back to running, jumping, and snowboarding at nearly 100% of my prior abilities.

I cannot say enough good words about Dr. Levine and the entire HSS staff (as well as the HSS physical therapy staff and facilities) who were all instrumental in helping me navigate such a challenging time and come out the other side healthy and feeling like I had my life back. Thank you to Dr. Levine and HSS.