From Amputation to the Boston Marathon: Hannah Nabors’ Story 

For Hannah Nabors, movement has always been closely connected to purpose.

She is a special education teacher, a multi-sport coach, a wife and the mother of two boys. Before becoming an amputee, running was more than exercise. It was an outlet, a way to connect with others and an important part of how she served her community.

On the morning of February 24, 2025, everything changed.

A morning that changed Hannah’s life

Hannah began the day with a five-mile run before work. A few hours later, while driving her youngest son to school, their vehicle was struck during an accident caused by an impaired driver.

Her son was fortunately able to leave the vehicle without serious injury. Hannah, however, remained trapped for approximately two hours while emergency personnel worked to free her from the wreckage.

The injuries to her left foot and lower leg were too severe to repair. Three days later, Hannah underwent a below-knee amputation.

For someone whose life revolved around running, teaching and coaching, the loss was devastating.

The weeks that followed involved significant physical and emotional challenges. Hannah was unable to return home immediately because of accessibility barriers. She relied on a wheelchair, slept very little and had to begin adjusting to a life she had never expected.

Learning to believe her own message

For years, Hannah had encouraged her special education students not to let a disability determine what they could accomplish.

After her accident, she had to apply that same message to herself.

Only one month later, she returned to the soccer sidelines. She coached from a wheelchair and golf cart, drawing energy from the athletes she had supported for years.

Hannah received her first prosthesis on May 9, 2025. The following day, she worked at the state track meet. Before the end of the school year, she had also returned to the classroom.

Her recovery was not about returning to her previous life exactly as it had been. It was about finding new ways to continue doing the things that gave her life meaning.

A community that showed up

Hannah’s family, students, athletes and community became an important part of her recovery.

The parents of her athletes organized a community 5K fundraiser. A total of 745 people participated.

For Hannah, the event represented more than community support. After five months of preparation, she completed the entire 5K using her prosthesis.

Crossing that finish line became one of the first major milestones in her athletic comeback.

From a first 5K to the Boston Marathon

The morning after her amputation, Hannah told her family that she wanted to run one of the country’s most recognized marathons.

That goal became a symbol of what she was working toward.

On April 20, 2026, approximately fourteen months after the accident, Hannah crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Her goal was not based on pace or performance.

“It wasn’t about performance for me. It was about proving what’s possible and not letting hard have the final say.”

After returning to running, Hannah also began swimming and cycling again. She has since expanded into triathlon and qualified to compete at the 2026 USA Triathlon Para Triathlon National Championships.

Turning personal recovery into advocacy

Hannah’s experience has also given her a new role as an advocate.

She became involved with So Everybody Can Move, a national movement working to expand access to activity-specific prosthetic and orthotic care.

Her advocacy contributed to the movement surrounding Georgia Senate Bill 503, which will require eligible state-regulated commercial health plans to cover medically necessary prosthetic and orthotic devices used for activities including exercise, bathing and hygiene beginning in 2027.

For Hannah, advocacy is another way to demonstrate the message she has always shared with her students and athletes: a disability may change how someone approaches a goal, but it does not eliminate the goal.

Why socket fit matters for amputee athletes

Adaptive sports are often discussed in terms of prosthetic feet, running blades and other visible components.

However, the connection between the residual limb and the socket can be just as important.

During running, cycling and other high-intensity activities, two common challenges can affect prosthetic comfort and control:

• Sweat and moisture accumulating inside the liner
• Residual-limb volume changing throughout a workout

Sweat can contribute to friction, skin discomfort and movement between the limb and liner. At the same time, volume loss can change how securely the residual limb sits inside the socket.

For an athlete, these issues can interrupt training and make it difficult to maintain a consistent stride.

Managing sweat with the Underlay

The Underlay™ is a knitted sleeve worn directly against the skin, beneath the prosthetic liner.

It is designed to help manage:

• Sweat
• Heat
• Humidity
• Odor
• Moisture-related discomfort

Before using the Underlay, Hannah sometimes had to interrupt a run, remove her prosthesis and dry her limb before continuing.

In her experience, the Underlay has helped her manage moisture more effectively and complete hot-weather training with fewer interruptions.

For an athlete preparing for endurance events, being able to maintain a consistent training rhythm can make a meaningful difference.

Adjusting for volume changes with the Overlay

The Overlay™ is an inflatable sleeve worn over the prosthetic liner and inside the socket.

It allows the user to make adjustments as residual-limb volume changes during the day or during physical activity.

Hannah uses the Overlay while training to help maintain compression, stability and socket fit without repeatedly stopping to add or remove prosthetic socks.

Together, the Underlay and Overlay address two different challenges:

• The Underlay helps manage sweat, heat and moisture beneath the liner.
• The Overlay helps accommodate residual-limb volume changes inside the socket.

For Hannah, having greater control over both has allowed her to spend less time thinking about her prosthesis and more time focusing on the athlete she is becoming.

More than an athletic comeback

Hannah’s story is not only about returning to running.

It is about returning to her family, her classroom, her athletes and her community with a renewed sense of purpose.

She has transformed an unexpected loss into an opportunity to advocate, educate and demonstrate what can remain possible after amputation.

Her journey continues through every class she teaches, every athlete she coaches and every starting line she reaches.

Hardship changed Hannah’s path.

It did not determine where that path would end.

Discover solutions for common prosthetic challenges

Learn how the Underlay and Overlay are designed to help manage sweat, moisture and residual-limb volume changes.

Explore Ethnocare products at ethnocare.ca.