Justin Caskey has parlayed the bad hand life dealt him into an all-time great Halloween costume.
The Charlotte, N.C., resident plays the role of injured Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward in his epic Halloween 2017 costume. Caskey, who lost his leg to bone cancer in 2008, turned his prosthetic foot to the side and donned a Celtics jersey with Hayward’s name and number. The photo of his costume he shared on Instagram is going viral.
Caskey told WTVD-Charlotte he was watching the Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers season opener Oct. 17 when Hayward suffered the gruesome injury.
“I was watching the game when Hayward got injured, and after the initial shock, I thought it wouldn’t be difficult to adjust my prosthetic to look like the injury,” Caskey said.
Hayward had surgery to repair a dislocated ankle and fractured tibia, and it is unlikely he will return this season.
Caskey wouldn’t have made the Hayward costume if the stricken Celtic’s prospects for recovery weren’t good.
“If I wasn’t so sure that Hayward would rehab back and be as good, if not better, I wouldn’t have done the costume,”: Caskey added. “I mean, when you realize what it takes physically and mentally to make it that far in a sport, you have to realize that this injury won’t keep that guy down.”
A Twitter search shows others have tried making a Hayward Halloween costume, but none have come close to Caskey’s effort.
