The Christmas season hasn’t brought quite what Anthony Joinville expected.

The 55-year-old was on his way home after work on December 4 when he was involved in a head-on traffic collision.

He lost his leg as a result of the accident and will likely have to spend the holidays in hospital.

Still, he’s smiling.

“I am just thankful that I’m not dead,” he said. “I have come to grips with the loss of my leg. This is not the end. It’s only the beginning for me. I’m only 55 years old. It’s just the circumstances.”

The Southampton resident contacted The Royal Gazette in hopes of passing on his thanks to the people who helped him on that “horrific” day.

“I don’t know what crew it was but I want to acknowledge the EMTs and the professionalism of the Fire Service,” he said. “I was in a bad situation. I was in extreme pain and they calmed me down just by speaking to me. They let me know about the procedures they were doing to me and let me know whether something would hurt me or not. It really meant a lot.”

Mr Joinville, who lives in the Rose Hill area, was riding home when the accident occurred just outside the Port Royal Fire Station around 7.30pm. “The funny thing is I was only three minutes away from home,” he said.

“It was a head-on collision. The gentleman was on a bike overtaking a line of traffic and hit me head-on. I had no time at all to react to what he had done but the [EMTs] were immediately on the scene as the accident occurred right across from their depot. If I had to wait for an ambulance to come from the city, I would’ve been in trouble.”

He lost his leg the following day.

“On December 5 they amputated my leg, my right leg, about five inches below the knee,” said Mr Joinville who has worked as a houseman at The Reefs for the past 11 years.

The Southampton resort’s owner, David Dodwell, and its general manager Nagma Walker, both visited him at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

“They reassured me that they will keep my job for me but what it will be remains to be seen,” he said.

The accident hasn’t ruined his Christmas, Mr Joinville insisted.

“I enjoy Christmas with the family usually. For the most part I’d done all my shopping and I know my family and friends will be here to surround me so I won’t miss too much, but I will have to be in hospital.

“I am sure mom will bring me a dinner to the hospital so I won’t miss Christmas dinner.”