Farmer amputates arm with penknife

Kenneth Brown

Captain
Joined
Feb 3, 2003
Messages
3,481
I saw this in a UK news site of all places, never heard about it before.


A farmer was forced to cut off his arm with a penknife when a machine burst into flames with his hand trapped inside.

Sampson Parker decided to perform his own amputation to avoid passing out and facing certain death. 'If I was going to die here, I was going to put up a fight. And that's basically what I did,' he explained.

Mr Parker was working in a field on his farm when he noticed a cornstalk stuck in rusty mechanical picker.

As he tried to remove it, the machine caught his glove ? pulling his hand into a mechanical roller. 'The more I tried pulling my hand out, the further up my hand went,' he explained.

He used a metal rod to stop the machine and spent the next hour on his knees calling for help. But the rod caused the machine to spark and burst into flame.

With his right hand still trapped, Mr Parker used his other one to try to fight back the fire as it spread to the grass around him.

Thinking he was about to faint, the American chose to cut his arm out of the machine. 'My skin was melting. It was dripping off my arm like plastic melting. I realised I was in trouble,' he added. 'I just jammed the knife into my arm, just like that, just started cutting away from the bone ? it just dropped.'

Once free he drove to his home, where a passing firefighter came to his aid ? wrapping his severed arm and calling for help.

Mr Parker, of Kershaw County in South Carolina, has since managed to put the ordeal behind him. 'I came down here, had a prayer with God and the corn picker. Made it easier. Made peace with it,' he added.
 

KeltonKrew

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 31, 2002
Messages
1,325
Re: Farmer amputates arm with penknife

My wifes Grandfather had to do this in Kansas in the 70's.....with a corn picker! I don't see how they could do it, but I guess the survival gene kicks in and you do it!
 

Windykid

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 17, 2007
Messages
1,177
Re: Farmer amputates arm with penknife

Could you imagine? Having to cut your arm to the bone and then drop to the ground to break the bone, all while trying to keep the fire at bay.:eek:
 

Firestar

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
530
Re: Farmer amputates arm with penknife

Sounds like a scene that could be in Saw.
 

Gary H NC

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Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
8,972
Re: Farmer amputates arm with penknife

That was near me and the guy was on our local news.He actually was in good spirits about the ordeal.They interviewed him the next day with his nub all bandaged up.....poor guy!
 
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