In 1949, another life-altering change occurred. On a strip of highway between Providence, RI and Fall River, MA, an oncoming tractor-trailer sideswiped Stoney’s Hell Driving car. The truck caused a blowout of the car’s left front tire and tore his arm off just above the elbow. Two Navy Ensigns came upon the wreck and administered lifesaving tactics, but not limb-saving. Upon waking up in the hospital, the first person he recognized was Mr. Beam.


Stoney Roberts Ed Congden Business Mgr. . Vermont State Fair
He often credited Ward for making him so mad at that moment that he was given an incentive to battle to recover his way of life. Ward informed him he was finished as a stuntman, and at the same time confirmed to him the loss of his arm. He told Ward that he would prove him wrong. In less than nine months, Stoney was back on the racetrack doing stunts. He became one of the first, if not the first, handicapped stuntman in the nation. Others have followed since then. Stoney never believed in the term \"Handicapped\", and was very pleased at the use of the term \"Physically Challenged\".