Jo Beckwith

This article is about the American YouTuber and advocate. For the American baseball player, see Joe Beckwith.
Jo Beckwith
Personal information
Born
Jordan Beckwith
NationalityAmerican
OccupationYouTuber
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2018-present
Subscribers1.01 million Edit this at Wikidata[1]
(April 2024)
Total views503.61 million[1]
(June 2023)
Websitewww.footlessjo.com
100,000 subscribers
Last updated: 19 June 2023

Jordan 'Jo' Beckwith is an American YouTuber and advocate also known as Footless Jo. She is a below-knee amputee whose content focuses on disability and mental health awareness.

Early life

When she was 13, Beckwith fell off a horse while riding in Colorado Springs, fracturing her ankle. She subsequently underwent many surgeries, but remained with chronic pain and limited functionality.[2]

Career

Beckwith began her YouTube channel, Footless Jo, during her recovery from amputation in 2018.[3] In 2019, the channel became more prominent following a video she released titled, "How I Said Goodbye to My Ankle". That video went viral and garnered over 8 million views.[2] Footless Jo focuses on amputation, disability, and mental health. Beckwith's second channel, Trauma Talk, which she stopped posting to in 2021,[4] explored living in the aftermath of trauma.

In 2021, Beckwith partnered with Shades for Migraine in a media campaign to raise awareness about migraines.[5] She has said her migraines, which began in her 20s, are more debilitating and difficult than being an amputee.[6] Beckwith appeared in a 2024 commercial for the migraine medication Nurtec ODT, which also featured Lady Gaga.[7]

As of May 2024, Footless Jo has 1.01 million subscribers. Beckwith also has 118,000 followers on Instagram and 744,200 followers on TikTok.[2]

Personal life

Beckwith lives in Colorado.[8] In 2018, at age 27, Beckwith began considering amputation after being told that an ankle replacement, the other treatment option, would only delay amputation for another 1.5–5 years.[9] She underwent below-knee amputation on October 11, 2018, at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver.[10][8]

On August 27, 2015, Beckwith married Brian Thomas.[11] The two divorced in 2022.[12]

Beckwith is a stroke survivor. She suffered a cerebellar occipital stroke on January 28, 2024, while practicing jiu-jitsu.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b "About Footless Jo". YouTube.
  2. ^ a b c Hancock, Amanda (2021-08-05). "Colorado Springs woman known as 'Footless Jo' shares her journey of life after amputation". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
  3. ^ Hein, Alexandria (2019-02-14). "Colorado woman pens 'breakup' note on foot before amputation". Fox News. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
  4. ^ Trauma Talk (2021-05-25). "I'm Closing This Chapter - Thank You Forever 💜 (not clickbait)". YouTube. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
  5. ^ Association of Migraine Disorders (2021-05-25). "Shades for Migraine Partners with Rising Influencers to Empower People with Migraine". Yahoo Finance. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
  6. ^ Knott, Kylie (2021-06-18). "Living with migraines: women change diet, schedule to cope with attacks". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
  7. ^ Lloyd, Sophie (2024-04-10). "Lady Gaga Ad Sparks Backlash". Newsweek. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  8. ^ a b Walters, Isolde (2019-02-14). "Woman writes 'break up' note on foot before amputation". New York Post. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
  9. ^ Footless Jo (2020-07-12). "My Amputation Accident: Horseback Riding Fall That Cost Me My Leg..." YouTube. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  10. ^ Oliveri, Natalie (2019). "'Why I decided to amputate my foot': 'Footless Jo's' brave leap of faith". honey.nine.com.au. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
  11. ^ Beckwith, Jo (2020-08-27). "*Sappy Post Ahead*". Instagram. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
  12. ^ Footless Jo (May 2022). "why I disappeared for two months [CC]". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  13. ^ Footless Jo (2024-03-01). "I had a stroke - minutes after I hit 1 millions subscribers". Youtube. Retrieved 2024-05-04.