ToquiNotes: Bridgeport's Jerome Axton Standing Taller than Ever as He Battles to Adjust to Life of Normalcy
By Jeff Toquinto on April 19, 2025 from ToquiNotes
For those who believe you can hear a smile, let me tell you about exhibit A. That exhibit would be a phone call I made to Bridgeport’s Jerome Axton this past Monday, April 14.
During our greetings, I said to him, “You sound extremely happy” as I mentally pictured at the same time Axton with a smile on his face. That was followed by his initial response, which was “I can’t stop smiling.”
Understand, under normal circumstances, most people would be smiling. It was early in the day. The temperatures were in the mid-70s, 
and he was with his family, at the park, having fun.
and he was with his family, at the park, having fun.
For Axton, though, it was different. He was enjoying things about as close to normal as things have been for him on a physical front in years.
The former standout Bridgeport High School athlete, now 33 years of age, has had so many surgeries he had lost count. He did not know the exact number other than it was “dozens.”
It was all the result of what he found out back in 2014. It was that year when Axton was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which is a bone cancer more commonly associated with teenagers and rapid growth.
The surgery to remove cancer was a success. The cancer has been in remission now for more than a decade.
The problems stemmed from what came after the surgery. Infections and other issues as a result of the surgery plagued Axton. Constantly, as he tried to get his leg back to full strength, there would be a setback that required another surgery.
Eventually, it got to a point in 2020 the toll became too much on two fronts. First, he saw the anguish in his family and friends with every surgery that came his way. Second, the pain was becoming an almost unmanageable issue for him.
It led to a decision in 2020 that he said, given the circumstances, he does not regret. He opted to have a good portion of his left leg amputated. That surgery was a success. Many of you may know about some of this as his journey battling cancer has been documented more than once in this blog.
“I still get that look when I tell people that surgery to remove my leg made me whole again. For three or four years, I was basically dragging it behind me,” he said. “I never imagined the battle I would have to have to get this point, but I’m glad I battled, and had a lot of help and support along the way.”
The battle took place, and still continues to a lesser extent, five years after his leg was removed. For the longest time, he either utilized a prosthetic leg or opted for using crutches. Getting back to normal, which focused on the goal of playing basketball again, was not only taking longer than anticipated, but seemed increasingly like a pipe dream.
Then, came what would essentially be the last major surgery (there’s been a minor once since). This would prove to be extremely rare surgery and is starting to point to the elimination of the problem Axton was having with prosthetics. Those problems, barring maintenance 
of a perfect weight, primarily saw him being out of balance, and struggling to walk and even sit without discomfort.
of a perfect weight, primarily saw him being out of balance, and struggling to walk and even sit without discomfort.
This recent and rare surgical procedure, called Osseointegration, may have changed that issue for good. How rare?
After finding a way around too many insurance hurdles and getting close enough physically to qualify for the procedure in question, the 2010 BHS graduate was at Johns Hopkins on Nov. 13. He was able to move ahead thanks to the procedure in question becoming a clinical study to avoid insurance.
He was under the skilled hands of Dr. Brock Lindsey; the same doctor who cared for him at West Virginia University and did every major surgery to even minor ones involving infection before taking his talents to one of the premier medical facilities in the world.
“This is really rare. There aren’t too many places doing this surgery. There are about 100 (part of an FDA study), to the best of my knowledge, going through this,” said Axton.
Johns Hopkins defines the surgery as involving the insertion of a metal implant (pin) into the bone of a residual limb, which then attaches directly to a prosthesis, eliminating socket-related issues. Those socket issues caused the issues for Axton. Now, the implant protrudes from the stub of his amputated leg.
Before he knew if it was going to work, Axton first needed to heal from the surgery to allow the prosthetic device to be put on.
“That is what the pin is for. It takes away needing suction requirement and the prosthetic basically clips on to the pin,” said Axton previously. “It’s quicker than me now having to put up to five socks around my stump to get it comfortable enough to put the prosthetic on. It also eliminates issues with any weight fluctuation.”
As for weight, he is now testing it out. It started with testing about 25 percent of his body weight on the prosthetic and is moving up. And while going smoothly, a fall during the process put things into a little bit of a setback that has since been overcome.
“For the first time, when I wear the prosthetic, it feels connected to my body, part of my body. It’s amazing,” he said. “It’s not bulky or heavy.”
Axton is still not 100 percent adjusted. It is going to take time. Pain, which he has become too accustomed to, is still there – just not at the same level.
“The pain right now is low, but it’s sore and you have to get comfortable with the pain and soreness,” Axton said. “I’ve learned to live with it, but even adjusting to this has been like surgeries in the past. It’s not just tough physically, but it’s taxing on you mentally and spiritually.”
He said watching his boys' mother, Sarah Gould, do everything – particularly taking care of their two boys – has been hard.
“I’m trying to heal, and I see her just doing it all, and I wondered if it was right. There was a lot of doubt, a lot of praying,” Axton said. “Then God does what He always does. He got me through it with the help of family and friends. And Sarah, what a wonderful person. She never made me feel less than.”
He also has the best medicine coming in the form of his two boys. They are 27-month-old Louis Valentino “Val” and 15-month-old Beau 
Anthony.
Anthony.
Those two boys are the main reasons he wanted this surgery to come as close to being whole as possible. Initially, as noted above, the goal was to play basketball – the game he loves with all of his heart. Now, he just wants to be able to play with his boys and hold them and not think about any issue with his leg.
“Even I was healthy, I’m getting a little bit old for playing ball,” Axton said with a laugh. “But I still have a love for the game that I may have to find an outlet for.”
The outlet may come in the form of coaching. He said the fire was lit when his former Bridgeport Middle School Coach John Minnocci invited him to a Notre Dame game to watch his own two boys play for the Irish. And it’s been fully smoldering ever since.
“John’s invitation led to me falling back in love with basketball. I’ve talked to him about the game, and I’ve been talking to (Notre Dame Coach) Jarrod (West), someone I’ve always looked up to, about coaching,” said Axton. “I don’t know if that’s a direction I’ll go, but I think if I got involved, I may be able to help provide some basketball lessons for some players. We’ll see.”
Lessons on the court, almost certainly. Lessons in life, particularly learning how to stand taller than anyone even with just one leg, are a guarantee.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows Jerome Axton standing as comfortable as he's stood in years with his new prosthetic following a new surgery done at Johns Hopkins. Second photo shows Axton shortly after having his leg amputated. In the next two images, Axton is shown with his motiviation - his two boys. In the bottom photo, Sarah - AKA "Mom" - is shown with one of the boys at sunset at the beach. All photos courtesy of Jerome Axton.
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