LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An Indiana man who had a double knee replacement a few years back is surely putting his new ones to good use!
According to a press release from Baptist Health, 66-year-old Gary Dailey completed a Thru Hike of the Appalachian Trail. He's now planning a 500-mile hike in Spain next year where his wife Patty will join him.
The two had double knee replacement surgery at Baptist Health Louisville, performed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Reid Brown, the release said. Gary had his left knee replaced in 2015 and his right knee replaced in 2017.
In 2021, he completed the Appalachian Trail hike from Georgia to Maine -- starting in March and ending in September.
PHOTOS: Indiana man with double knee replacement hikes 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail
“A lot of people would talk to me about it on the trail,” he said. “I spread Dr. Brown’s name around. I was very thankful. I sent him a card and a little gift when I finished because he helped (a dream) come true.”
Officials said Gary even got the nickname “Two Knee” from his fellow hikers, and created a YouTube channel using that name where he records all of his hikes.
“Walking the Appalachian Trail is uncommon, whether you have good knees or bad knees, so his story, while somewhat uncommon, is fairly common in the fact that we allow people to do things that they wanted to do but couldn't because of a physical ailment,” Brown said.
Gary and Patty will go on the Camino de Santiago hike next April.
Be sure to follow Gary's journey on his YouTube!
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