Lauren Wasser lost more than her leg at age 24 when she contracted toxic shock syndrome after wearing a tampon overnight. She also lost hope in the wake of her drastic surgery."I was in a really dark place and I didn't think that I could go on," she tells People of her life post surgery. "I was so ashamed of my leg." But Lauren perservered because she wanted to set an example for her younger brother, who was 14 at the time. "I wanted to show him that I could be badass and recover and stand strong," she shares. "He really was my motivation to stay alive."
Now, Lauren's suing the manufacturer of the Kotex tampons she used. She hopes to educate other young women about the dangers of TSS and be a positive role model for fellow amputees. "I want to give hope to other little kids with amputations and for them to know that they are still beautiful," she says. "I can turn this into something positive that people can feed off of and grow from and be inspired by. That's my whole life goal now."
You go, gorgeous girl.