Health

Driver Survives After Being Impaled by Metal Pole Straight Through Head

Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:36pm by Emily Esfahani Smith
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File this one under oh my god.

Last year Andrew Linn, of Nevada, crashed his car into a fence and was struck in the mouth by a metal pole that went right through the back of his neck. Surprisingly, he’s alive to talk about it.

Linn doesn’t remember much of anything about the crash. The accident happened on November 29.

“You can see on my nose it came in here, went through and came out the back here,” said Linn, looking over an x-ray.

Linn saw that x-ray for the first time Tuesday morning.

“The hardest thing has been opening the mouth and learning how to eat and swallow. Drinking is really difficult.”

Linn says he probably fell asleep when he crashed his car after getting a late-night snack.

Linn passed between two utility polls, crossed the street and jumped the curb before hitting a trailer in a neighbor’s yard.

Dr. Jay Coates, who performed the surgery, says had the pole struck Linn a few centimeters in either direction, he would have bled to death.

Via Jalopnik:

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Comments (54)

Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on May 12, 2011 at 6:03pm
Why is it lucky when you get a steel polotomy?
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TraceyM
Posted on May 12, 2011 at 3:09pm
Wow! He is very lucky to be alive.
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hi
Posted on May 12, 2011 at 12:46pm
Libs will want to ban fence posts now.
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Tickdog
Posted on May 12, 2011 at 9:30am
ouch.. thats gotta hurt!
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DREDGE
Posted on May 12, 2011 at 8:51am
With a good lawyer he can sue for millions!!!!!!!!
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nhrider
Posted on May 12, 2011 at 7:19am
It’s just a flesh wound. He’s lucky.
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reform
Posted on May 12, 2011 at 4:40am
This is a true story so hard for people not to believe anything anymore however. How I know is my niece works at UMC hospital here and he came in on her shift, in the trauma unit case closed, unless you still believe there is a boggyman!!!!!
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PureDrumFury
Posted on May 12, 2011 at 12:29am
Um, “motorcyclist?”

I remember a story years ago about a track runner who was impaled through the neck by an errant javelin throw. That guy survived too. Amazing – God’s grace is all you have in a situation like that. Must be more for this guy to do before his time here is up.
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Mustangrider
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 10:30pm
How does that saying go? Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly, looks like his angel got there just in time.
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lonewolf57
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 10:28pm
Its either pure luck or a guardian Angel.Angels aren’t with us for every little mishap along the way.Well,they may or may not lessen the severity of any given moment in life thats painful or severe,who knows for sure?But we all eventually experience a very life threatening situation and wonder to ourselves,How Did I Get Through This and live to tell about it?????
I had mine on a motorcycle,being careless(I was wearing a helmet).I was flying down a 45 mph highway doing 55 and my favorite baseball hat that I wore while off the bike flew off the handlebars.I turned around to look for it and realized that I looked too long,I looked ahead again..The truck in front of me had stopped.HEARTBREAK!
Time stopped for just a moment and instinctively my left hand hit the front brakes, my right foot hit the rear harder and I layed my bike down against on coming traffic in the other lane.The bike slid and I rolled for like EVER! EVERYTHING STOPPED,just for a moment.I stood up,looked around,and traffic was at a dead still stop.No one had ran over me or hit me,and my Honda 750 was still running,layed down on its side.I walked over to it,picked it up,shut it off and parked on the side of the road.Traffic THEN proceeded as normal as I waved to other drivers to show I was OK.I suffered some torn jeans,torn flesh on my legs and lots of humility that day.And a understanding about just how much I owe my life to a Angel or God.I’m pretty sure that Andrew Linn is glad to be alive today.I am too
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SmokenRon
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 10:07pm
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good..
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justice
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 9:06pm
I am just glad he made it. He had someone watching over him.
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SilentReader
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 8:42pm
This proves that truth is stranger than fiction.
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chris3
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 8:33pm
what about the kid with the coat hook in there head? abuse maybe? wow! sorry but my wife was the first to see it (she was in a “troubled child hood”) and as someone who has been a first responder,the press is almost wrong more than they are right! details are so lost and made up, it’s astounding,and this isn’t new , so really,don’t trust even your local paper to get such things as specific details and facts correct.
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stix_n_stones
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:50pm
Crazy!
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- G.W. Dobbs
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 9:59pm
  Utterly IMPOSSIBLE. Period.
  Report Post »
Ironeagle
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:33pm
Photo shop image–no way anyone could have survived that–would have been much more trauma in the image.
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- Eric_The_Red_State
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:43pm
  Naw – it happens to me weekly.
  My wife is from Viet Nam and she keeps digging bungie pits in the living room.
  It’s the snakes in the tunnels from the bedroom to the kitchen that tick me off though.
  Report Post »
barrynmooch
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:25pm
“I think I fell asleep” driving at 2 AM means passed out drunk or texting.
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- chris3
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 8:38pm
  yep, if your munching fence posts in the wee hours, you must be“ tired” not that I would know, but back in the 80′s I knew a friend who might have had some times like these,some didn’t make it.
  Report Post »
- chris3
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 8:46pm
  yea, munching fence post in the a.m. could be a prob.back when iwas a kid we used to call it ditch cleaning when you couldn’t keep it on the road,long rows of fence were bonus points, gotta duck though,in all seriousness lucky guy and if it was related to “other”things I hope he learns a lesson.
  Report Post »
bikerr
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:52pm
I say -Ouch!
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- OhSuzieQ
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:10pm
  God was with him!!
  Report Post »
- chips1
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:19pm
  God jumped out when he didn’t slow down for the STOP sign on the pole.
  Report Post »
Bluestraveler
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:51pm
If he crashed his *car* into a fence, where’s the motorcyclist come from? He got a skull tattoo on his left arm?
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- Showtime
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:02pm
  The words “motorcyclist” and “motorist” do look similar, and perhaps Emily had it in her head that a motorist would have had more protection in a four-wheeler.
  Report Post »
- chips1
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:06pm
  Lets split the difference. Call it a motorcar. Mr. Toads Wild Ride.
  Report Post »
Acts_19
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:51pm
Title
“Motorcyclist Survives After Being Impaled by Metal Pole Straight Through Head”
Story
Last year Andrew Linn, of Nevada, crashed his car into a fence and was struck in the mouth by a metal pole that went right through the back of his neck.
Motorcycle – Car?
Edit much?
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PrfctlyFrank
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:48pm
That does look fake.. How bout the guys spinal cord?? And that looks more like neck, than head.. Either way, congrats dude..
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- CatB
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:03pm
  Nope .. saw him on tv this morning 2 centimeters in any direction and he would have died .. he also lucked out in the surgeon that was on call — was the same one that saved the performer (Sigfried and Roy) after the tiger attack.
  
  He lost teeth and his mouth is off but he looks REMARKABLY WELL!
  Report Post »
Robert-CA
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:46pm
What The … !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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CatB
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:44pm
“Motorcyclist” ? “ crashed his CAR into a fence ”
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- CatB
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 9:44pm
  That is Callie … chihuahua .. cruis’in in her carseat in the convertible.
  Report Post »
- Robert-CA
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 11:31pm
  Thanks CATB , I can’t believe that my question was removed LOL
  Report Post »
tower7femacamp
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:44pm
looks
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- FalconOfStorms
  Posted on May 12, 2011 at 12:53am
  Wow, you have a good eye. I‘ll bet you see all sorts of things that other people don’t, which is why you know the truth. There WERE no planes on 9-11. Planes don’t exist, they’re just holograms. Holograms exist, planes don’t. The Pentagon was hit by a missile, though — YOU saw it. I did not, so yuor vision must be better than a Falcon’s. You’re like, what, Superman? Well then, why didn’t you fly there and stop the missile? Why did you let them die? YOU’RE A MONSTER!
  Report Post »
- walkwithme1966
  Posted on May 12, 2011 at 3:05am
  This is not fake – I saw him on tv this morning – it really happen and but for the grace of God, he could be dead but yet, he is alive!! http://wp.me/pYLB7-Xr
  Report Post »
tower7femacamp
Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:43pm
that look fake
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- theonefromabove
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:55pm
  That could easily be faked.
  
  http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
  Report Post »
- Showtime
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 6:59pm
  @CatB ~
  Actually, the headline should have read, “Nevada man miraculously survives being impaled by fence post during auto accident.”
  
  The other headline of the link given calls him a “motorist.” I don’t know how they came up with “motorcyclist.” GOOD EYE!
  Report Post »
- OhSuzieQ
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:02pm
  OMG! Ya think?
  Report Post »
- CatB
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:05pm
  Saw him on tv this morning .. it is for real.
  Report Post »
- WeTheHomers
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:12pm
  I think it is Linda Lovelace going through TSA security :)
  Report Post »
- Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:23pm
  If it is real then this man has the fact God looked out for him that night. Miracles do happen, and there are times when bizaar accidents also occur, not often, yet this indeed could be one.
  Report Post »
- CultureWarriors
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:45pm
  Ouch that’s gonna leave a mark!
  Report Post »
- Professional Infidel
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 7:57pm
  Fake?? Better fake in his throat than fake in mine!!
  Report Post »
- Flippo789
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 8:17pm
  FYI Blaze, this story needs to be corrected. It was not a motorcycle. It was a car, and the pole went through the windshield. You can see the story on Autoblog and Jalopnik.
  Report Post »
- Cemoto78
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 8:24pm
  Ouch.
  Report Post »
- banjarmon
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 10:34pm
  If we can view pics like this…SHOW US THE PICS OF OSAMA!!!!!
  Report Post »
- Captain Crunch
  Posted on May 11, 2011 at 11:25pm
  Look at the upper teath in the background. This is no fake.
  Report Post »
- Luckywon
  Posted on May 12, 2011 at 2:01am
  Watched the Video, Wow… definitely not fake
  Report Post »
- dr_funk
  Posted on May 12, 2011 at 4:46am
  Its not fake. In 1848, Phineas Gage, a Vermont railroad worker, survived an accident where a 3 foot iron spike impaled his head. His behavior was altered, and he had trouble with anger and being irritable, but he survived a number of years after the accident before he died in 1860.
  
  So, it is entirely possible that someone can survive this. Really, the biggest cause of death is the belief that your injuries are lethal. I recall a story of a man who died from a gunshot wound to the arm, and they say its because he believed it was a lethal injury.
  Report Post »
- Secret Squirrel
  Posted on May 12, 2011 at 5:54am
  .
  Hello Blaze!
  Your headline says, “Motorcyclist”.
  But there’s no motorcycle in the story.
  Am I missing something?
  
  Hiring from the NYT?
  Report Post »
- ishka4me
  Posted on May 12, 2011 at 7:17am
  oh, thought it was airport scanner pic of barney frank and friend
  Report Post »

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