Uh-huh life’s like this.  Uh-huh that’s the way it is for Chris Hines.  Hines’ life once was uncomplicated.  He had a good paying job.  No problems.  Life was easy.  Then life went and got complicated.  Hines lost his right hand just above his wrist in a job related accident when a machine malfunctioned.  Twenty-one reconstruction surgeries failed to attach his hand back to his arm.  That same company fired him a short time later.  For two months, Hines sat around.  Life was like this…complicated.  That’s the way it was.

Life was less complicated as a young boy growing up.  His folks owned a dairy farm and grandpa would take him out fishing on the farm ponds.  Fishing was fun; life was uncomplicated and he had two hands.  After two months of sitting around unemployed, Hines decided to make a life-changing decision.  He would open a sign company.  It had always been passion to have and wrapped bass boat for a living.  In that moment everything changed.  That leap of faith changed his life forever.

Today, Hines is the owner of Uptown Graphics (http://www.uptowngraphicsky.com/) in Upton, Kentucky. He has a staff of skilled and accomplished graphic designers who are capable of fulfilling a client’s need no matter how big or small.  His shop has all the required cutting edge technology.  While Uptown Graphics can do any sign work, Hines real passion is doing graphic artwork for logo designs, vehicle wraps, and boat wraps.  This seems strange for someone who lost his dominate hand to become a graphic artist.  Hines had to relearn everything including writing and casting a fishing pole.  Mentally, it was complicated at first.  “It made me appreciate life more, especially the small things we all take for granted,” Hines continued, “it made me a better person.”  Spiritually, Hines believes that this is the path God wanted him to follow.  “God does not give you anything you can’t handle; this situation has given me an opportunity to meet and become friends with professional anglers and other people I would never had gotten to,” explained Hines. A number of anglers have had Uptown Graphics wrap their boats including FLW Tour Pro JT Palmore, and Bassmaster Elite Series Pros Brent “Brody” Broderick and Rick Morris. 

Another life-changing moment happened to Hines during his period of recovery.  He met his beautiful wife Debra while going to rehab.  It was love at first sight.  She even fishes with him in bass tournaments!  While fishing is a little harder today, Hines loves to compete in bass tournaments.  “It’s the only time I wear a prosthetic hand,” Hines continued, “the hardest thing is to get treble hooks out with only one hand.”

Life could have been complicated for Hines.  He could have sat back and felt sorry for himself or taken a road down self-destruction.  Hines decided to take control of his destiny and fishing played a major part in it.   Uh-huh life’s like this.  Uh-huh that’s the way it is for Chris Hines.