Double Amputee, Unstoppable Spirit: The Miracle of Jason Koger | Ep. 43

Summary

The Miracle Files – Ep. 43

"Double Amputee, Unstoppable Spirit: The Miracle of Jason Koger"
Air Date: September 1, 2025
Hosts: Emily Jones & Holly Worthington
Guest: Jason Koger

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Miracle Files tells the harrowing and ultimately uplifting story of Jason Koger, a Kentucky husband and father who became a double amputee following a freak electrical accident. The episode follows Jason’s journey from the accident that nearly took his life, through grueling physical and emotional recovery, to redefining his purpose. By embracing his new reality and relying on his faith, family, and community, Jason not only survives but becomes a beacon of hope for others—demonstrating that, as the show’s tagline says, there are more miracles than murders, more light than darkness, and that God is always good, even in tragedy.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Day Life Changed – The Accident

[00:30] - [07:32]

• Setting the Scene:
  Jason, a farm kid turned family man, describes an ordinary day that becomes extraordinary in the worst way. After a fun morning with his wife Jenny and their two young daughters, he goes for a familiar four-wheeler ride on his family’s farm.

• The Accident:
  Rounding a familiar corner, he encounters a low-hanging power line. Thinking it's inactive, he tries to move it—when suddenly 7,200 volts surge through him, stopping his heart instantly.

  “The next thing I remember was a vibration going through my body. I felt a vibration through all my bones. And then everything went dark.”
  — Jason Koger [07:32]

• Miraculous Survival:
  Despite no breathing or pulse, either the electrical jolt or the fall re-starts his heart. He regains consciousness, burning from the inside out as his cousin calls for help and family rushes to the scene.

2. Family and Faith in Crisis

[08:46] - [12:41]

• Immediate Aftermath:
  Jenny, Jason’s wife, is abruptly called to the scene, unaware initially of the gravity of the situation.

  “I kept on telling [Jenny]: ‘I'm gonna lose my thumb … Papaw lost his entire arm. Like, I'm just gonna lose my thumb. Like, it's really not that big of a deal.’”
  — Jason Koger [10:11]

• Hospital Ordeal:
  Doctors act swiftly. Jenny must sign potentially life-saving, but terrifying, release forms for amputations and transfusions. Jason’s kidneys are failing, and doctors are unsure he will survive. He is placed in an induced coma.

3. A New Reality – Waking Up and Facing Loss

[14:01] - [15:35]

• Jason Awakens:
  Three days later, Jason regains consciousness—disoriented, unable to move or see the extent of his injuries.

  “I looked up at my dad and I said, well, how bad is it?... And my dad, basically, first thing he said was, 'Jason, I don't know how we're going to get through this. But we’ve always had faith, and one way or another, we're going to get through this.'”
  — Jason Koger [14:01]

  Learning that both arms have been amputated below the elbow is devastating.

4. Redefining Purpose – First Steps to Recovery

[15:35] - [18:23]

• Setting a Goal:
  His doctor encourages him to choose a single goal. Jason, focused on his family, simply wants to hold his daughters again.

  “I don't know how my life's going to change, but… all I care about is holding them again and that's it.”
  — Jason Koger [15:35]

• First Victory:
  After painful removal from machines, Jason hugs his daughters—marking a turning point. From here, Jason commits to facing recovery and life with faith and determination.

• Innovative Adaptation:
  Jason duct-tapes a fork to a leg brace as an improvised feeding aid, a testament to his ingenuity.

5. Struggles at Home and Community Support

[18:23] - [20:39]

• Daily Life:
  Ordinary family tasks become monumental. One humorous but telling moment occurs when Jason’s daughter accidentally pulls his pants down in public, highlighting both the challenges and Jason's resilient humor.

  “So I was sitting there like, oh, crap, Billy Grace, you got to pull my pants up… I had to wobble three rows over to find my wife to pull my pants up.”
  — Jason Koger [19:10]

• Jenny’s Sacrifices:
  Jenny is stretched thin, caring for their children and Jason, sometimes foregoing her own self-care.

• Community Support:
  Their tight-knit Kentucky community rallies to support them with meals, financial assistance, and prayer.

6. Breaking Barriers – Becoming the First with Bionic Hands

[20:39] - [22:39]

• Insurance Hurdles:
  Jason’s fight to get advanced bionic prosthetics represents a new challenge. He articulates the indignity and hardship of being told the arms are “not medically necessary.”

• Victory & Advocacy:
  Persistence pays off—Jason becomes the first in the world to receive two bionic hands. Suddenly, he enters a new role: advocate, mentor, and spokesperson for amputees worldwide.

  “It literally opened up a door for me that other amputees, prosthetists, therapists…were calling me… I became this spokesperson for upper limb.”
  — Jason Koger [22:00]

7. Unexpected Opportunities – Hollywood, Innovation, and Impact

[22:39] - [27:28]

• Hollywood Calls:
  Jason is cast in a Hawaii Five-O remake episode based on his real-life experience, bonding with Peter Weller (“Robocop”).

  “I'm from Kentucky, and you're the first guy I ever laid on top of…”
  — Jason Koger [23:27]

• Celebrity Ally:
  Weller’s intervention helps Jason access newer prosthetics, and Jason becomes a consultant for bionic technology, advocating for other amputees.

• Spreading Hope:
  Jason’s story is shared on major news networks and platforms across the world. He speaks publicly, works with veterans, and his family grows with a “miracle” son, Axel—contradicting doctors’ expectations.

8. Enduring Faith and Finding Meaning

[27:28] - [32:03]

• Favorite Scripture:

  “My favorite verse is John 13:7, where he says, ‘You may not understand now, but one day you will.’ And that verse has always given me determination and hope…”
  — Jason Koger [27:28]

• Meaning Through Suffering:
  Jason and the hosts reflect on how his faith, family legacy (including a grandfather who also lived as an amputee), and the timing of the miracle underscore God’s providence.

• Testimony & Book:
  Jason describes writing his memoir, Handed A Greater Purpose.

  “…I truly feel like every day I wake up that God's like, ‘man, I told you I had a better plan for you.’ …Even all the pain and all the stuff I went through, it was worth it.”
  — Jason Koger [31:08]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Loss and Faith:

  “Both arms were gone… would he even have a future at all? How would he still be the father his daughters needed?”
  — Emily Jones [14:39]

• On Community:

  “People in my community was like giving to us and helping us all the time.”
  — Jason Koger [20:01]

• On Perspective:

  “I tell people all the time, it’s like God can open a door for you, and the only person that can close that door is yourself.”
  — Jason Koger [27:28]

• On Humor in Adversity:

  “I get to wear cool shirts that say things like ‘look, mom, no hands,’ or ‘don’t shoot, I’m unarmed.’ Oh, my gosh…”
  — Emily Jones (on Jason) [28:40]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jason’s accident & immediate aftermath: [00:30] – [08:46]
• Hospital, Jenny’s ordeal & Jason’s coma: [08:46] – [14:01]
• Jason wakes, learns his arms are gone: [14:01] – [15:35]
• First big goal – holding his daughters: [15:35] – [18:03]
• Innovating daily life post-disability: [18:03] – [20:39]
• Prosthetics battle & first bionic hands: [20:39] – [22:39]
• Hollywood story, advocacy, second breakthrough: [22:39] – [27:28]
• Faith, legacy, and finding meaning: [27:28] – end

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Reflections, Takeaways, and Inspiration

Hosts’ Reflections:

• The sisters praise Jason’s humor, resilience, and ability to inspire.
• They marvel at the providence—how having an amputee grandfather prepared Jason for his journey (29:10), and how God’s timing orchestrated each part (“the timing… is just miraculous” [30:22]).
• They underscore the message that God both saves and refines, often turning hurt into hope.

“God saved his life too… if he’d been electrocuted the first time, there would have been no one there to help him or call 911.”
— Holly Worthington [30:00]

Jason’s Final Word:

• Jason shares the meaning behind his book title, “Handed A Greater Purpose,” centering his story on faith, acceptance, and embracing God’s bigger plan.

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Conclusion

Jason Koger’s story is not just one of survival, but of transformation—a journey from tragedy to testimony powered by relentless faith, family, humor, and an unstoppable spirit. His life models how suffering can seed new purpose, how miracles can grow from ashes, and how light endures through darkness. The Miracle Files brings Jason’s story to vivid, heartfelt life, encouraging listeners to look for God’s miracles everywhere—even, and especially, in brokenness.

For more on Jason’s journey:
Check out his book Handed A Greater Purpose.

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Transcript

[Emily Jones]

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[Jason Koger]

I told my wife, I said, hey, I'm gonna go ride four wheelers for a minute around the farm.

[Emily Jones]

The sun beamed down onto the dirt fields as Jason drove down the gravel road. He made his way around the corner and knew there would be another turn coming up shortly.

[Jason Koger]

And by the time I turned and looked, I seen something that I didn't know what it was at first. So I hit the brake on my four wheeler and I slid into this line.

[Emily Jones]

The power line bounced. Then it hit him in the chest.

[Jason Koger]

Next thing I remember was a vibration going through my body. And then everything went dark.

[Emily Jones]

This is the Miracle Files. I'm Emily Jones.

[Holly Worthington]

And I'm Holly Worthington. We're two sisters who love a captivating true story. But we're also seeking more light in our lives.

[Emily Jones]

So we're on a mission to find and share unforgettable, uplifting stories of God's miracles. We hope you'll join us on this journey. Welcome back to the Miracle Files. I am so excited about this story today.

[Holly Worthington]

Yeah, this one is heart wrenching, but it's also so cool in so many ways. And today's story is about Jason Koger. He's from Kentucky. He's a father, an author, a public speaker, and he's just such a good guy with an incredible story.

[Emily Jones]

Yeah. What Jason and his family had to go through is probably one of the darkest moments that I can imagine.

[Holly Worthington]

Yeah.

[Emily Jones]

But just pay attention to how his family comes through it. It's really powerful.

[Holly Worthington]

It really is. Okay, let's just jump in.

[Emily Jones]

All right, let's go. It was March 2008, and it was also Jason Coker's first weekend off after working weeks of 12 hour shifts. He couldn't wait to spend some time with his wife Jenny and their two daughters.

[Jason Koger]

And I told my wife, I said, hey, I want to take the girls. And at the time, Billy Grace was 21 months old and Campbell was three months old. And I said, I want to take them into Owensboro.

[Emily Jones]

It was Saturday morning, and there was a little train at the mall in Owensboro, Kentucky. Nothing Spectacular. Just a loop for toddlers. But to Jason, it was a moment to reclaim time he'd missed with his kids. After spending a fun morning together, their family drove home. Jason laid his girls down for a nap. It was something he loved and hadn't been able to do in far too long. He closed the girl's bedroom door and kissed Jenny on the cheek.

[Jason Koger]

I told my wife, I said, hey, I'm gonna go ride four wheelers for a minute around the farm.

[Emily Jones]

It was something he'd done more times than he could count. How could he have suspected that this time would be different, that this time the familiar ride would end? Life, as he knew, was still early spring, but so nothing had been planted yet. The sun beamed down onto the dirt fields as Jason drove down the gravel road. He had grown up on this farm. In fact, Jason knew every inch of the 2,300 acres. Every turn, every culvert, every gravel rut was etched in his muscle memory. He could almost drive down this road with his eyes shut.

[Jason Koger]

And I tell people it's like being inside your home at nighttime and you get up in the middle of night to go use the bathroom. You don't have to turn the light switch on. You know where everything is. You know where the dresses are. You don't trip, fall over anything. Well, I felt like this around my whole farm, you know, I mean, I've been around it millions of times.

[Emily Jones]

Jason had grown up on the farm, along with his extended family, their houses next to each other. Jason's grandfather had only lived a couple of houses away. Years before, his grandfather had lost his arm in a corn picker accident. But despite his disability, he'd always been a hero to Jason. His grandfather had passed away just three months prior, and Jason still missed him. There was a turn in the gravel road just ahead, and Jason slowed his four wheeler. He made his way around the corner and knew there would be another turn coming up shortly.

[Jason Koger]

The second corner, I was going super slow. I was kind of looking across the field, and I just. I don't know, I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention. And the second corner, there's a culvert right there. It's the only place you can cross. And by the time I turned and looked, I seen something, and I didn't know what it was at first, so I hit the brake on my four wheeler and I slid into this line.

[Emily Jones]

A power line sacked down toward the road, unnaturally low. This was something unexpected, something strange and out of place. On Jason's usual ride, Jason didn't register what it was. At first, he didn't have time to stop. He hit the brakes, skidded, and the front rack of his four wheeler struck the line. The power line bounced. Then it hit him in the chest, falling between his body and the handlebars. Panic swept through Jason as he stared down at the power line, bracing for a jolt of voltage to rip through him. But nothing happened. The line just lay there, still silent. Jason heaped a big sigh of relief.

[Jason Koger]

So I looked to my left, and there's a guide wire that holds a pole in the air. So, you know, you got the wire hangs down. Well, the wire had broke, so the pole was leaning, so the two lines were swooping. And the lowest point was where I was, which was about 30 inches off the ground. And so I thought for a minute, like, what do I do?

[Emily Jones]

Jason decided to lift the wire just high enough to free it from his four wheeler. He slowly pulled the line up, backed the four wheeler out from under it, and then let it go. Jason wasn't sure what to do with the power line. He didn't want to just leave it. He had a cousin who lived just across the field. So he dialed his cousin's phone number on his cell phone to see if his cousin could help him figure it out.

[Jason Koger]

I called him and I said, hey, I need you to come down here. I said, there's a downed power line. I just hit it. So basically, long and short. He came down, and he was behind me, and I was explaining to him. I was like, this power line goes to a field pump, which pulls water out of the field when it's planted. When march, nothing's planted. So, you know, first thing I thought is, like, I wonder if the power shut off. Like, it doesn't, you know, it's not even hot. And so I told my cousin, I said, man, what I'm scared of is there's other kids in the neighborhood riding four wheelers sometimes. And I said, if somebody was running wide open and they don't pay attention, it was low enough. I was afraid somebody would get decapitated. You know, they would hit the line. And I said, man, I wish we could do something. And I was basically turning around, looking at him behind me and the power lines in front of me.

[Emily Jones]

We've all heard the warning to stay away from power lines. Power companies recommend you stay at least 25ft away from them. But Jason had already touched this line. He was sure this one wasn't live. But Jason was wrong. Jason raised his arm up in the air, explaining how high he wished the power line was.

[Jason Koger]

And I just stuck my arm out, say, this high.

[Emily Jones]

That's when the unthinkable occurred.

[Jason Koger]

The next thing I remember was a vibration going through my body. I felt a vibration through all my bones. And then everything went dark.

[Emily Jones]

It's unclear if Jason touched the line or if the electricity jumped. But what we do know is the electricity seeks ground. That's what it does. And in one fatal motion, Jason had become its conduit. 7200 volts surged through his body, stopping his heart instantly. He collapsed onto the ground. The world went still. No breathing, no pulse, no signs of life. His cousin screamed for help. But then the impossible. It's hard to say for sure, but. But either the force of the fall or the electric shock restarted Jason's heart. Jason woke up in what felt like flames. His body was searing with internal burns. Disoriented and desperate, he tried to crawl into a ditch to cool himself. His cousin pulled him back, trying to get him to lie still. Jason didn't know yet that his flesh was cooked from the inside out, his kidneys already shutting down.

[Jason Koger]

So I immediately woke up. I felt like I was on fire. I was trying to climb down into a ditch to cool off. And my cousin kept on pulling me out of the ditch. And he had already called one of my uncles, his dad. I seen him coming down in his truck, and immediately, you know, obviously 911 was called. So my cousin Charlie went to the front of the farm, the road, to show the ambulance where I was. And he immediately called my mom and dad. My mom answered the phone, and Charlie was like, donna, Jason's been in a really bad accident. And my mom was just like, charlie, how bad is it? And Charlie wouldn't answer. And finally my mom was just like, charlie, is he still alive? And Charlie said, I don't know. And my mom said, charlie, is Jenny home? And Charlie said, yes. And my mom said, does Jenny know? And Charlie said, no, I haven't told her. I don't want to tell her.

[Emily Jones]

Back at home, Jenny was working on a computer project. In fact, she'd been working on the project for hours. So when the power suddenly went out, she groaned in frustration, unaware that the outage was caused by her husband's body grounding an electric circuit. Oblivious to the fact that. That her husband had just died and come back to life. An ambulance raced across the field. Jason's mother called Jenny, whose heart immediately pounded in terror.

[Jason Koger]

So she gets a phone call from my mom, and she comes across the field. She Comes back to where I was. She had no clue that I'd got electrocuted. At this moment, they were already loading me in the ambulance. Jenny climbed up in the ambulance with me, and on the way to Owensboro, I was talking to her, and I just kept on telling her. I was like, jenny, everything's gonna be okay. And I remember telling Jenny, I'm gonna lose my thumb. And I told her over and over and over on the way to Owensboro, I was like, papaw lost his entire arm. Like, I'm just gonna lose my thumb. Like, it's really not that big of a deal. And I was trying to stay, you know, as calm as I could.

[Emily Jones]

A thumb. That was it. Jason was pretty sure of it. Again, however, Jason was wrong. At the hospital, the ER doctor was beyond concerned.

[Jason Koger]

Doctor said, we gotta get this kid out of here. And I said, what do you mean? And they said, you're either gonna go to Louisville hospital to the burn unit, or you're gonna go to Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tennessee. And they said, we have a helicopter on the way to come pick you up. So I remember the helicopter coming and landing on top of the hospital. And I remember getting in a hospital bed, and they took me up an elevator.

[Emily Jones]

The helicopter took off with Jason inside, staring up at a nurse whose eyes also showed worry. Jenny wasn't allowed to ride with him. Jason looked out the window as they flew over his house, men still working below to clean up the downed line. He watched them outside, unaware of something far more urgent. Inside the helicopter, inside his body, Jason was dying. A nurse inserted a main line into his jugular, then catheterized him. And Jason watched the urine bag fill up. His urine was dark like Dr. Pepper. Jason didn't know why his urine was so dark, but it was his kidneys failing, his blood flooding with toxins. He was still burning from the inside out.

[Jason Koger]

Jenny hurried up, got to Nashville, had to sign release forms to do whatever. So she goes in this emergency waiting room. Doctor walks down and basically says, I need you to sign release forms to amputate whatever. I have to amputate, do a blood transfusion. And if you don't do this in the next few minutes, your husband's going to die because his kidneys are so far gone. And I still don't even know if this is going to save his life. Like, I gotta go like this. We gotta get started.

[Emily Jones]

With shaking hands, Jenny signed the release form, and Jason was put under anesthesia. The surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Guy, began cutting. First the right arm. It was incredibly damaged. Then he opened up the left and found it shredded inside. All 10 tendons had snapped and coiled around Jason's wrist like a grenade had gone off beneath the skin. His neck and back were fractured. His kidneys teetered at the brink. Dr. Guy placed Jason into an induced coma to give his deteriorating body a fighting chance. As Jenny sat waiting, helpless and afraid, she dropped to her knees and poured out a desperate prayer to God for strength and a miracle. Each day for the next three. Three days, surgeons cut a little more, removing charred flesh until the internal fire had passed. As the doctors worked, they didn't know if Jason would wake up at all. But on the third day, something shifted, as if the prayer said for him cracked through the darkness. Jason woke up. As his eyes flickered open. He didn't recognize the room. The beeping heart monitor, the sterile still surfaces. The weight of a bed strap pressing down on his chest. His eyes searched for Jenny, but she wasn't there.

[Jason Koger]

Jenny was at a hotel room. So my mom and then my dad came in the room and basically, you know, I looked up at my dad and I said, well, how bad is it? Because, I mean, I had no clue, you know, had no idea what was wrong with me. And I was strapped down to a bed so I couldn't see anything. And my dad, basically, first thing he said was, Jason, I don't know how we're going to get through this. But he said, we've always had faith, and one way or another, we're going to get through this.

[Emily Jones]

Jason blinked at his father, trying to comprehend his words. And then his father dealt the final blow.

[Jason Koger]

But he said, in order to save your life, they had to amputate both of your arms.

[Emily Jones]

The words rang in Jason's ears. At 29 years old, Jason was now a double amputee. Both arms were gone, removed just below the elbows and wrapped in thick bandages where his hands had once been. The reality felt impossible to comprehend. This wasn't how life was supposed to unfold. Just weeks earlier, he'd been a happy father of two little girls under two years old. His future laid out in neat rows like the farmland surrounding his home. Now everything had changed. Would he even have a future at all? All. How would he still be the father his daughters needed? How would he provide for his family? He knew his grandfather had found a way to work with the prosthetic. But 2. Jason went to sleep overwhelmed by a future that now felt so cloudy and unsure. Later, when he woke again, he was moved to a hospital room where he.

[Jason Koger]

Met his doctor, Dr. Jeffrey Guy, he walks in my room and he sits down with me and he says, jason, you're going to be in this hospital for months. And he said, but while you're here, I want you to think of one goal that you have in your life and I want to help you reach a goal. When we are successful with one goal, then that's going to show you that things are going to be possible later on. So he stood up and he went to walk out of the room. And I told him, I said, Dr. Guy, I know what I want. He said, how do you know what you want, man? Like, you know, you're 29 years old, I just asked you this question and like, what's on your mind? You know, and. And I told him, I said, I don't know how I'm going to be able to dress myself, feed myself, or do anything for myself. Like, I have no idea. And I said, I don't know how my life's going to change, but I said, you know, here I got a 21 month old little girl and a 3 month old little girl at home. And I said, literally all I care about is holding them again and that's it. He said, when they get here, I'm gonna bring them to your room. And it was the next day, I think, and he came in, he said, hey, your kids are here, so I'm gonna bring them in your room. And I said, no, you're not.

[Emily Jones]

Hospital machines surrounded him. Tubes, monitors and wires tethered to every part of his body. Jason didn't want to see his children for the first time as a patient. He didn't want them to remember a hospital room or the cold smell of antiseptic. He wanted them to remember his embrace. And so, in defiance of pain, medical warnings and reason, Jason asked to be unhooked. The tubes and IV came out. The catheter followed. It was incredibly painful, but he endured it all without sedation. With help, Jason, he was wheeled into the waiting room. There he saw them, his precious angels. Their smiles lit up the room. He wrapped what was left of his arms around them as they nestled into the curve of his torso. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't what it had been, but it was everything to Jason. He had accomplished his first goal. That single moment marked the turning point. From that day forward, Jason chose faith over defeat. The question wasn't why did this happen to me? But instead, what can I do next?

[Jason Koger]

I remember asking Dr. Guy, what's it going to take me to get out of this hospital? And he Was like, jason, man, you can't rush it. You know, it's going to be a while. I told him, I said, well, I'm going to do whatever it takes. And I remember taking a leg guard apart, you know, like when you hurt your knee, and I duct taped a fork at the end of it. And that's how I started feeding myself.

[Emily Jones]

Twelve days after his accident, just 12, Jason walked out of the hospital, both arms gone, but eyes forward. Back at home in Owensboro, every task was a battle. Getting dressed, eating, moving around the house. Jason treated each obstacle like a challenge to outwit, rather than an excuse to surrender. However, some of the challenges were completely unexpected. On one family outing to Hobby Lobby, Jason walked several aisles with his eldest daughter while his wife shopped nearby with the baby. Jason, who could now carry his toddler in the crook of his arm stumps, watched her squirm down and run a few steps ahead. All of a sudden, she turned back with a smile, preparing to leap into his embrace.

[Jason Koger]

It's like slow motion. It's like a movie. You got this little girl running to you, fixing, jumping your arms, give you this big hug and kiss. Like, this is what life's about, you know? And she got right to me. And instead of jumping on my arms, she grabbed me by my pants and she pulled my pants down to my ankles. So I was sitting there like, oh, crap, Billy Grace, you got to pull my pants up. And she's not having it. So I had to wobble three rows over to find my wife to pull my pants up. And my wife was like, well, that's really embarrassing. And I was like, yeah, it's embarrassing.

[Emily Jones]

That moment, both comical and deeply human, became yet another reminder. There was still so much to figure out, and it provided Jason with a new goal. Learn to pull his pants up by himself. While Jason was mastering many skills, life was still difficult for Jason and Jenny.

[Jason Koger]

You know, my wife would feed Billy Grace, and then she'd feed Campbell, and then she'd feed me. My food was cold, you know what I mean? But then she'd feed herself, so I know her food was cold. And then she would give both girls a bath, and then she would give me a bath, and then Jenny was just like, I just want to go to bed. I don't even care if I take a bath. I mean, she might have gone two or three days without taking baths because she was just wore out, you know, and she had to quit her job because I couldn't be alone, you know, and here I am, not working and people in my community was like giving to us and helping us all the time.

[Emily Jones]

Jason was so grateful for the support and prayers of his community. But it seemed life would never feel normal again. And not providing for his family was something Jason feared most. Jason heard about robotic arms known as advanced bionic prosthetics. They had a hefty price tag of $150,000 each, and insurance wouldn't cover them. They weren't, quote, medically necessary. That phrase became his enemy. He wasn't trying to replace his arms for vanity or comfort. He needed them to be a father. Jason was discouraged, but not defeated. He believed with those prosthetics, he could reclaim his. His purpose. So he prayed not for comfort, but for the chance to stand on his own again, to serve, to provide. Determined, he tracked down the very doctor who had denied his claim and challenged him to come live one day in his shoes, hands tied behind his back. Try getting dressed. Try turning a doorknob. Try scratching an itch. Then see if the word necessary felt any different. Eventually, the fight paid off. Jason became the first person in the world to receive two bionic hands. And others started taking notice.

[Jason Koger]

I did an episode on a local news, and after it was over, CNN called me. And CNN was like, hey, we saw your story. We want to share your story. Can we? And the next day, all day long, I was on cnn. And it literally opened up a door for me that other amputees, prosthetists, therapists, like all these people were calling me, and how do you use the hand? How did you get the hands? And I became this spokesperson for upper limb because of that. And it was people from all over the world, you know, and it's like, man, I can make a difference. And I want to make sure that other people go through this, that I'm here for him, you know?

[Emily Jones]

One day, Jason received an unexpected phone call from a woman in Hawaii. It turned out she was part of a television production team. A new episode of Hawaii Five O was in development, a reboot of the old Hookman storyline from the 1970s. Once the producers heard about Jason, they knew what they wanted for this updated episode. A man with two real bionic hands. Jason flew to Hawaii, stepped onto a film set for the first time, and saw one of his heroes standing there. Peter Weller, the original Robocop, now cast to play a character based on Jason. The scene required Jason to physically press his body up to Weller's back, his bionic arm extended beneath the actor's armpit, a weapon in hand.

[Jason Koger]

So nobody said nothing. So, yeah, you just lay on top of him, put your arm under his armpit. So I did, and I got to laughing. And Peter Weller looked over at me. He goes, boy, what are you laughing about? I said, man, I'm from Kentucky, and you're the first guy I ever laid on top of. And I said, I wish, like, I could at least meet you first. You know, me, maybe it wouldn't be so awkward, but, like, I just. I've never laid on top of a guy before, you know? And so he and I became really, really good friends.

[Emily Jones]

It was strange, surreal, hilarious, but somehow perfectly fitting. The man who once duct taped a fork to a leg brace was now standing in the Pacific sun, surrounded by cameras, giving movement to a fictional character built from his own pain. He returned to Kentucky and tried to file it away. Is just another strange chapter. Until his phone rang again. This time, it was Peter Weller himself. He hadn't just played Jason on screen. He had been moved by him off camera. He told Jason he'd called the company that made his prosthetics. If they wanted their name in the show's credits, they were going to send Jason the latest generation hand. No waiting, no red tape. And they did. Jason became the first person in the world a second time, now with an even more advanced pair of bionic hands. That one gesture opened a new chapter, one where he worked directly with the engineers behind the technology, testing prototypes, giving feedback, even helping shape future models. They flew him across the country. They watched him demonstrate techniques no one else had mastered. By now, Jason had been featured on cnn, Al Jazeera, Good Day, Philadelphia, and in major newspapers. He had filmed an Apple commercial that aired during the Super Bowl. He'd appeared in a movie with Matthew McConaughey, done commercials for MetLife and Advent Health, and taken stages across the country to share his story. Peter Weller had visited Jason's hometown, where they put on fundraisers for local charities. But even in the whirlwind of attention, Jason had never forgotten where it all began or what mattered most. His family. When Jason had been in the hospital after his accident, doctors told him he'd never have another child. He had made peace with that. But the news came quietly. One day, Jenny was pregnant. It didn't feel like defying the odds. It felt like grace. On the day their son Axel was born, Jason cradled him in his bionic arms, a moment he'd never dared hope for. This wasn't just another child. It was living proof that what had been taken could never Match what had been given. There had been so much loss, so much pain. But here in his hometown, surrounded by the same friends and family who farmed soybeans and corn all around him, Jason realized something quietly profound. The miracle wasn't just that he had survived. The miracle was that everything broken had been turned into something more, Something greater than. Than Jason had ever imagined. The events of March 1, 2008, had not just taken his arms. They had handed him a purpose. They'd given him a platform to stand on, A way to inspire and help others, and a way to provide for his family. Today, Jason speaks across the country. He works with wounded veterans, athletes, engineers, and school children. He's been invited onto tour buses, movie sets, and global broadcasts. But he's still Jason from Owensboro. He still mows his own lawn. He still drives his truck. And most importantly, he's still holding on to the same things that mattered before the accident ever happened. His wife, his children, and his faith.

[Jason Koger]

My favorite verse is John 13:7, where he says, you may not understand now, but one day you will. And that verse has always given me determination and hope and not knowing what the future is going to look like, but knowing that God's going to make it work out, you know, and he has done that over and over and over. And, you know, I tell people all the time, it's like God can open a door for you, and the only person that can close that door is yourself.

[Emily Jones]

Those words guided him through the darkest nights when tubes ran from his chest and nurses whispered at the door. They reminded him day after day that meaning can come not in spite of pain, but because of it. On the day of Jason's accident, his heart stopped beating. But that wasn't the end. Instead, it was only the beginning of a new life, A life that touches thousands, A life shaped by heroes, past and present. A life still unfolding, a life which was quite literally transformed by grace.

[Holly Worthington]

Isn't Jason the best?

[Emily Jones]

I know. I love his outlook on life. And he is so funny. He did a TED Talk where he was like, one of the benefits of having no arms is I get to wear cool shirts that say things like, look, mom, no hands, or don't shoot. I'm unarmed. Oh, my gosh. He's got a good attitude.

[Holly Worthington]

Yeah, he is hilarious. And beyond his sense of humor, he just has this incredible attitude that it makes me want to be more positive about my own life and the things that I go through.

[Emily Jones]

Right? Yeah. I think it's also incredible that he had this grandpa in his life who Also didn't have a limb.

[Holly Worthington]

Yeah.

[Emily Jones]

Because he was able to see an example of someone who was able to still thrive and have a beautiful life without a limb.

[Holly Worthington]

Yeah, that stood out to me, too, because it was like God was preparing him in ways that he couldn't have ever known. Like, what are the odds of having two amputees in one family?

[Emily Jones]

I know. It's like God was just. You can see his hand all throughout Jason's life. And I know there will be people who say, well, God also allowed this to happen to Jason. And the reality is God does allow us to go through hard things, but to me, it's like the refiner's fire, you know? Like, you look at how beautiful of a life he has now because of the hard things that he went through.

[Holly Worthington]

Yeah, well, and God saved his life, too. Like, if you think about it, the first time Jason came into contact with that downed wire, nothing happened. But that gave him time. That gave him a chance to call his cousin to come out there.

[Emily Jones]

Yeah.

[Holly Worthington]

If he'd been electrocuted the first time. Yeah.

[Emily Jones]

Yeah.

[Holly Worthington]

There would have been no one there to help him or call 911. He would be gone today. He would not be here with us.

[Emily Jones]

Yeah, you're right. The timing of it is just. It's part of what's so miraculous. I mean, obviously, this is a live wire that he's touching, and we learned after the fact it had 7200 volts of electricity going through it.

[Holly Worthington]

Crazy.

[Emily Jones]

An interesting fact is an electric chair. I mean, it's designed differently, obviously, but usually only has about 2,000 volts of electricity.

[Holly Worthington]

So obviously, clearly, clearly, this could have killed.

[Emily Jones]

Right.

[Holly Worthington]

But miraculously, it didn't. And we're so grateful that Jason was willing to share his beautiful story with us, and we're so grateful he's still here with his beautiful family as well. And if you want to learn more about Jason's story, he actually wrote a book, and I love what he said about it. So let's hear what he said himself.

[Jason Koger]

I decided to write a book of my journey, of my story. And for a long time, I was like, what do you call this book? And I end up naming it Handed A Greater Purpose, because I truly feel like I was handed a greater purpose. And, you know, sometimes we go through bad things and bad situations or bad accidents, and I think some people look back and they say, why? Like, why me? And I've never been that kind of guy. And I truly feel like every day I wake up that God's like, man, I told you I had a better plan for you. And, you know, even all the pain and all the stuff I went through, I mean, it was worth it. You know what I mean?

[Emily Jones]

I will never stop being inspired by this man.

[Holly Worthington]

Yeah, he's incredible. And I have to say, God is incredible, too, because no matter what challenges we go through, God is still good and he's still there for us. And he can turn all of our sorrows into joy.

[Emily Jones]

Yes, for sure. All right, well, we want to thank everyone for joining us today, and if you have enjoyed this podcast, please share it with a friend. Leave us a review, and help us so that we can continue sharing more of God's amazing miracle stories.

[Holly Worthington]

Thank you for joining us. If you have a miracle to share, contact [e-mail] or find us on Facebook.

[Emily Jones]

We're now releasing multiple episodes each month, so subscribe. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube for amazing video content as well.

[Holly Worthington]

Join us next time as we discover more of God's miracles. And don't forget to look for his light in your own lives.