Miracle! Man Hit by Acela Train Survives

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A 61-year-old man named Jack Daniels survived being struck by a northbound Amtrak Acela train traveling at 90 mph while crossing tracks at Canton Junction Station. Witnesses reported that he was in shock and initially did not realize he had been hit, asking for his teeth, which had fallen to the ground. He sustained several non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital. Daniels attempted the crossing to get coffee from a nearby shop, and witnesses expressed disbelief at his survival, noting the train's speed and the brief time he had to react. The incident sparked humorous remarks about his name and reflections on the strange nature of shock following trauma. Discussions also touched on similar incidents involving train accidents, highlighting the dangers of distractions like headphones.
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Man Hit By Acela Train Survives
Witnesses Say Victim Didn't Know What Hit Him
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/cnn-news/18162818/detail.html
. . . .
The victim, identified as Jack Daniels, 61, of Canton, was crossing the tracks at the Canton Junction Station about 11:20 a.m. Thursday when he was hit by a northbound Amtrak Acela train heading from New York to Boston which was speeding by at 90 mph.

"I said, 'Sir, you just got hit by a train.' He says, 'No, I didn't.' I go, 'Yes, you did,' and I put my arms around him ... and he goes, 'Where's my teeth?' and his back was ripped, all the way down," witness Dave Fortin said.

He said the man was clearly in shock and refused to lie down afterward.

"He was just looking for his teeth. His teeth were on the ground," Fortin said.

Daniels was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital with several non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

He told onlookers he tried the dangerous crossing because he wanted to get a cup of coffee at a nearby shop.

One witness said he couldn't believe Daniels survived.

. . . .

"It comes very, very fast. He probably had about a second, a second and a half, to make a decision," MBTA Transit Police Sgt. Preston Horton said.

. . . .
It sounds like Mr. Daniels was brushed by the train, and probably was whirled around.

He's very lucky indeed.
 
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Do you think that it was telling of anything that his name is Jack Daniels? :rolleyes: Definitely lucky to be alive.
 
Reminds of a story where a man was struck by thunder many times and survived...
 
Best wishes to those.
 
That must be some damn good coffee.
 
Jack Daniels. I feel sorry for that guy. All the jokes he has to live through, especially if he's ever at a party with alcohol or at a bar. Jesus...

If anything, this is God saying "Hahah, I'm not done with you yet!"
 
instant_ramen said:
Reminds of a story where a man was struck by thunder many times and survived...

I've been struck by thunder MANY, MANY times in my 16 years. Still kickin'. ;)
 
binzing said:
I've been struck by thunder MANY, MANY times in my 16 years. Still kickin'. ;)

Ha ha, those were my thoughts too when I read that.
 
Redbelly98 said:
Ha ha, those were my thoughts too when I read that.

Except, not the 16 years part :-p
 
  • #10
lisab said:
Except, not the 16 years part :-p

Right! :sigh: ... or, I could have thought that part 3 times. ("I've been struck by thunder many times in my first 16 years. I've been struck many times in my 2nd 16 years. Etc.")
 
  • #11
jack daniels... i was hanging out with him the other night. i don't remember though :X

crazy though!
 
  • #12
Amazing!

That state of shock after a physical trauma is very strange. For some reason you don't want to admit that you're hurt.
 
  • #13
a lot of times stuff like that doesn't hurt until you get to the hospital and they start stitching you up.
 
  • #14
Proton Soup said:
a lot of times stuff like that doesn't hurt until you get to the hospital and they start stitching you up.

or two days later when the medication starts to wear off.
 
  • #15
Where I work in media coverage, I see stories of people getting hit by trains about every week. One of the more memorable examples was a man walking down a track scratching off a lottery ticket. The train blared several times, but he never noticed. Probably didn't know what hit him, either. --Eh, I guess he wasn't lucky.
 
  • #16
There was a college student in Chico, California, who was walking down the railroad tracks while listening to music through headphones. He never heard it coming.
 
  • #17
offtheleft said:
or two days later when the medication starts to wear off.

or he sobers up
 

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