Liberal Arts alumna making a difference for others after quadruple amputation

Last December, following a routine medical procedure, Celeste Bradley went into septic and toxic shock. After waking from a medically induced coma, she learned her hands would be amputated. Grateful to be alive, Bradley accepted the news with remarkable peace. But when she later learned that her legs would also be amputated, the gravity of her situation hit her hard. 

“I begged and pleaded with each team we consulted to save my legs; I thought life would be impossible without them,” she said. “It wasn’t until one specific pep talk from my oldest brother that I was able to see how things would be all right. 

“I would lose my limbs, but I would get to keep my life, filled with the most supportive people.”  

Bradley, who graduated from Auburn’s College of Liberal Arts in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in speech, language and hearing sciences, is a sepsis survivor, a quadruple amputee and a pediatric speech-language pathologist. A native of Madison, Alabama, Bradley is grateful that she landed in a profession where she helps patients overcome communication barriers. 

“I hope that by seeing me work and living a successful and happy life, my patients know the same future is possible for them,” she said. “I know without a doubt that I chose the right career. I can’t imagine waking up and going to work in any other job for the remainder of my employed years.” 

Now, Bradley is in the fight of her life to get back to working full-time. She’s already won half the battle; after she was fitted with prosthetic legs in April, she returned part-time to her job at Achievement Pediatric Therapies in Hartselle, Alabama. Additionally, she can now work in her garden, play pickleball with her family and attend her nephews’ sporting events. 

“The legs allowed me to see a more positive and independent future and meant I could go to work again without fearing I might injure a child with my wheelchair,” she said. 

While Bradley currently has body-powered prosthetic hands, she needs a different kind of prosthetic, called myoelectric hands, to help her conduct therapy sessions with clients and access the touchscreen technology that’s used practically everywhere in our world, including cell phones, doctors’ office kiosks and even clocking in at work. When insurance referred to the myoelectric hands as “medically unnecessary,” Bradley was crushed.

“That phrase — ‘not medically necessary’ — is one I’ll never forget,” she said. “For someone who built a career around communication, the ability to gesture, hold a stylus or flip a therapy card isn’t a luxury; it’s essential.”  

As a quad amputee, Bradley understands better than anyone that physical disabilities and accommodations vary widely from person to person. The fact that she works for an employer that celebrates diversity in abilities doesn’t hurt, either.  

“It is a relief to work in a place where differences are celebrated,” she said. “One of the first things my boss did was create a parking spot for me by an entrance with a sign that said ‘Different, not less’ — our facility motto.” 

Bradley is continuing her recovery and intense physical therapy while working to fundraise the $100,000 needed to pay for myoelectric hands. She’s also making long-term plans for an advanced degree — and possibly a return to Auburn.  

“My professional goals have not changed; I have always wanted to pursue a doctorate and then a position in academia,” she said. “I had so many professors that were formative, and I have always wanted to play that role in another student's life. It would be amazing to make it back to the Plains someday.” 

But while she waits, she is relearning ways to bake, garden and walk her dog Duke, and she continues to brighten both her co-workers’ and clients’ days with her remarkable spirit and ability to overcome adversity.  

“I want to keep doing things that I love: being independent, working with children and creating a fuller life,” she said. 

To stay updated on Bradley’s journey, visit her GoFundMe website.