A 28-year-old All-American cross-country runner who suffered frostbite after spending more than two days in frigid Alaska temperatures without winter gear has had his feet amputated just above the ankles.
Marko Cheseto disappeared from the University of Alaska Anchorage on Nov. 6 and was found Nov. 9 suffering from hypothermia and severe frostbite to his feet and hands.
The UAA athletic department says in a website posting that Cheseto’s hands are expected to make a full recovery but his lower extremities were so severely injured they required amputation.
Cheseto was one of several runners from Kenya who competed for UAA.
In a statement released by the university, Cheseto acknowledged he was experiencing personal problems when he walked away from campus, and he thanked people who searched for him.
