One armed puffin catcher in Westman Islands

Örn Hilmisson lost his left arm in a fishing boat accident some twenty years ago. He didn't let this setback disturb his normal routine. 

"I was a fisherman on board Danski Pétur VE when I had an accident near Eldey just over 20 years ago. My first thought was to find my helmet which I had lost. I couldn't feel anything but I saw that my arm had gone through a pulley block. My adrenaline was pumping, I needed to get out of that crush but at the same time I saw my life passing by in the blink of an eye," says Hilmisson who now works at the Sæheimar aquarium in the Westman Islands. 

"I realised that this was very serious and I was fully conscious right until the moment that I had to undergo surgery at the Landspítalinn national hospital. I asked the doctor there to please save my arm but somehow I knew that that wasn't going to happen. When I woke up after surgery and saw that my arm was gone I decided then and there to not let that bring be down and I never did. I kept the shoulder joint which makes it possible for me to do things using a prosthesis or still be able to do things despite only having one arm. 

He believes that good genes, a good family and a good sense of humour helped him lead a full and enjoyable life.