Best Man Loses Both Legs After ‘Dream Wedding’ Overseas

A Massachusetts man’s joyful trip to celebrate his brother’s wedding overseas turned into a life-altering medical nightmare in a matter of hours—and now his family is speaking out after a wave of support helped bring him back home.

Andrew Wasil, 39, had traveled to Mumbai in February to serve as best man at his brother Steve’s wedding. What started as a once-in-a-lifetime celebration quickly spiraled into a terrifying ordeal no one saw coming.

“Within 24 hours, he went from having fun at the wedding to being on a ventilator,” his mother, Suzanne Wasil, told WHDH.

According to his family, Andrew initially thought he had pulled a muscle the day after the wedding. But when he began struggling to breathe, everything changed fast. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors realized the situation was far more serious.

“They said, ‘He’s not getting much oxygen, his pulse is very low, his heart’s not pumping well. We need to put him on a ventilator,’” Suzanne recalled.

Doctors later determined Andrew had developed a severe strep infection that triggered septic shock—a life-threatening condition that can shut down the body’s organs. His condition rapidly worsened, with multiple organs failing due to lack of oxygen.

“The strep virus went into his lungs,” Suzanne said, adding that tests also showed traces of the flu and a common cold, compounding the crisis.

In a devastating turn, Andrew ultimately had to undergo emergency surgery to amputate both legs above the knee in order to save his life.

Months later, he is now medically stable but still fighting to regain full consciousness, according to his sister, Erica Vinton. “He has been showing encouraging signs and is fighting hard,” she shared.

With Andrew stranded overseas and in need of specialized care back home, the family launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for a medical air ambulance—a costly but critical step in his recovery journey.

Thanks to an outpouring of support, thousands of dollars were raised, making it possible to schedule his transport back to Boston. The family confirmed he was set to return to the U.S. on April 19.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Andrew’s loved ones are now thanking everyone who stepped up during their darkest moments.

“That just touches our family. We have no words except thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” Suzanne said. She described her son as “loyal and kind and generous,” adding that his nieces and nephew are eagerly waiting to see “Uncle Andy” again.

Erica echoed that sentiment in an update, writing, “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for all your compassionate love and support.”

What began as a celebration of love has turned into a battle for survival—but thanks to strangers rallying behind him, Andrew Wasil is finally on his way home.