An airman stationed in California who went in to a hospital for a routine gall bladder operation has ended up losing both of his legs to amputation.

Surgeons at Grant Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base accidentally punctured Airman 1st Class Colton Read's aorta during a July 9 operation to remove his gall bladder. Because the critical vein was severed, he lost blood to his legs and lower body and his legs could not be saved.

But his family is questioning why doctors waited more than eight hours before taking him to nearby University of California, Davis hospital, where they say his legs could have been saved.

Read remains in the hospital and has had a series of surgeries since the accident.