When Ruth Codd posted a TikTok video on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, she didn’t just share medical news—she turned a life-altering moment into a punchline. "Good news: we’ve had a full-circle moment," she quipped, sitting in her wheelchair, affectionately named Fat Tony, in her parents’ home in Wexford, Ireland. The bad news? She’d just had her second below-knee amputation—this time of her left leg. At 29, Codd has now lived more than half her life navigating chronic pain, failed surgeries, and the quiet rebellion of turning trauma into comedy. And somehow, she’s still standing—well, rolling—with more grit than most people have in a lifetime.
Eight Years on Crutches, Then a Foot That Couldn’t Be Saved
Codd’s journey began at 15, when a football injury in her native Ireland refused to heal. What started as a sprain spiraled into eight years of operations, infections, and mounting pain. She spent those years on crutches—eight years of balancing on tiptoes, of shifting weight onto her right foot until the joints collapsed. "The way I used my crutches, I was always on my tippy toes," she told Brit Brief. "By the end, the joints in my feet were destroyed." In 2021, after 14 surgeries and countless setbacks, doctors removed all her toes. The damage was irreversible. "Your foot has passed the point of recovery," they told her. She chose amputation—not out of defeat, but because she was tired of being held hostage by pain. At 23, she lost her right leg below the knee. And then, six years later, the same fate came for her left.A Wheelchair Named Fat Tony and the Power of Humor
Codd didn’t wait for a press release. She went straight to TikTok, where 200,000 followers know her as the woman who turns hospital gowns into fashion statements. "This is my new whip," she said, gesturing to Fat Tony with a grin. The caption? "No legs who dis? #paralympics2026." It’s dark. It’s sharp. It’s undeniably her. Her humor isn’t a shield—it’s a strategy. "I haven’t let it stop me from doing anything," she said, "but I feel like it has hindered me and made my ability to do my job more difficult." As an actress, mobility matters. Walking into auditions on crutches. Climbing stairs on one leg. Managing pain during long shoots. The second amputation wasn’t just medical—it was professional liberation.The Long Road to Prosthetics—and a New Kind of Freedom
Recovery begins with stillness. Codd must wait at least a month for the stump to heal before she can be fitted for a prosthetic. She knows the drill. After her first amputation, she recalled the first moment she stood on her new leg: "Oh, it’s not sore anymore." That simple sentence carried the weight of eight years of agony. This time, she’s not just preparing for mobility. She’s preparing for momentum. "With two prosthetics, I’ll be pretty unstoppable," she said. And she might be right. In 2022, she told Teen Vogue she’d spent years "flogging a dead horse"—trying every surgery, every remedy, every hope. When the amputation finally came, it wasn’t a loss. It was a release.
From Traitors to Triumph: A Star in the Spotlight
Just weeks before her announcement, Codd was on Celebrity Traitors, the BBC’s hit reality show, where she dazzled viewers by spotting liars before being "murdered" in episode four. Her sharp wit and fearless presence made her a fan favorite. But behind the scenes, she was already bracing for another surgery. She didn’t tell anyone. Not even the producers. "I was just trying to live in the moment," she said in a recent interview. "If I’d told them, they’d have treated me differently. And I didn’t want that. I wanted to be seen for who I am—not what’s wrong with me."What This Means for Disability Representation
Codd’s story isn’t just personal—it’s cultural. She’s part of a quiet revolution: disabled artists refusing to be symbols of inspiration porn. She doesn’t want to be "brave." She wants to be cast. She wants to be funny. She wants to be normal. Her social media is a masterclass in redefining resilience. No pity. No platitudes. Just raw honesty wrapped in sarcasm and glitter. She’s not waiting for permission to thrive. She’s already doing it.
What’s Next for Ruth Codd?
In the coming months, Codd will begin physical therapy with her new prosthetics. She’s already brainstorming TikTok skits—think "wheelchair yoga," "how to fake a fall with style," and "why I’m not a hero, I’m just tired." She’s also in talks with a production company about a documentary on life after multiple amputations, told through her signature lens: dark, funny, and fiercely human. Her parents, who’ve cared for her through every hospital stay, are quietly proud. "She’s always been the one who laughs when everyone else is crying," her mother told The Irish Times. "That’s not denial. That’s survival."And if you’re wondering whether she’ll return to acting? Absolutely. She’s already auditioning for a role in an upcoming Irish drama about a woman who loses both legs—and then starts a stand-up comedy tour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Ruth Codd wait so long to have her second amputation?
Codd delayed the second amputation because she hoped her remaining foot could still be saved. After losing her right leg at 23, she relied on crutches for eight years, which severely damaged her left foot. Even after toe removal surgery in 2021, she held out hope until chronic pain and mobility issues made daily life—and her acting career—untenable. The decision came only when medical experts confirmed no further treatments could restore function.
How did using crutches for eight years lead to another amputation?
Constantly balancing on tiptoes to use crutches placed extreme pressure on the joints and bones of Codd’s remaining foot. Over time, this caused irreversible joint degeneration, arthritis, and nerve damage. By 2021, her foot was so compromised that surgeons removed all her toes. Even then, pain persisted, and mobility became nearly impossible without a prosthetic, making a second amputation the only viable path to long-term relief.
What impact has Ruth Codd had on disability representation in media?
Codd challenges the trope of the "inspirational disabled person" by refusing to perform suffering for applause. Instead, she uses humor, authenticity, and unapologetic visibility to normalize disability in entertainment. With 200,000 TikTok followers and appearances on BBC reality TV, she’s proving that disabled people don’t need to be heroic to be seen—they just need to be themselves. Her candid posts have sparked conversations about accessibility in casting and the need for more disabled creators behind the camera.
How long does recovery take after a below-knee amputation?
Recovery typically takes four to eight weeks for the surgical site to heal before a prosthetic can be fitted. Codd expects to wait at least one month, as her body adjusts to the new stump. Physical therapy begins after healing, focusing on muscle strengthening and balance. Many patients, like Codd, report improved mobility and reduced pain once prosthetics are properly fitted—often describing it as "finally being free from constant discomfort."
Is Ruth Codd planning to return to acting?
Yes. Codd is actively auditioning and has entered talks with producers for a documentary about life after multiple amputations, told through her comedic lens. She’s also pursuing a role in an upcoming Irish drama about a woman who loses both legs and starts a comedy tour. Her goal isn’t to play a "disabled character"—it’s to play characters who happen to be disabled, just like any other actor.
What does Ruth Codd’s story reveal about chronic pain and medical decision-making?
Codd’s journey highlights how chronic pain is often invisible until it becomes unbearable. For years, she endured surgeries that offered temporary relief but no cure. Her decision to amputate wasn’t impulsive—it was the culmination of exhausting every alternative. Her story underscores that sometimes, the most radical act of self-care isn’t fighting to keep a body part—it’s letting it go to reclaim your life.
