Loss of fingers

[Kiwi Phil]

You'r going to love this story.
Our youngest, (20 yo Uni Student), has his 1st Job "away from the family business" as a casual at a pretty tidy retail chain store.
Anyway he finishes a shift and the Cosemetics manager asked him to stay on for 2 hrs - it is busy.
He said he has to study for next weeks economics exam, so she said - you sit in that small alcove and study, and when you see me busy, come out and help. No worries.
After a while, he hears this young Mum (purchasing perfumes) telling her 4-5 y/o to 'do this', 'don't do that' etc, while the kid is running around doing what kids do - right in front of the alcove.
All of asudden, the kid covers the 3 metres to the down elevator and somehow sticks his hand in the bottom. There's a blood- curdling scream - my son leaps out, slams the stop button, grabs the kid, and he is missing his 2 outside fingers - gone!! Just jagged bone ends and shredded kin, and blood everywhere.
Well there is pandemonium all round.
When ambulance arrives they ask where are the missing fingers, and because the whole floor has been cleared and closed off my son knows where to look etc, and finds them, but asks the officer if it is ok if he doesn't have to get them out.
After, the State Manager takes him outside and they talk - obviously assessing his condition etc.
For my boy, everything ended ok but for the little fellow, life is going to be different.
Makes you think eh?

Cheers
Phillip

 

[Bob_VT]

I could feel that pain just reading that......

 

[southkogs]

I'm with ya' Bob. Wow. Poor little kid.

 

[angus63]

Hope your son can put this behind him. Poor little guy. Had my thumb torn off and re-attached 30 yrs ago. Fortunate to have partial use. My good friend is an attorney for Otis Corp., a national elevator/escalator company. Plenty of claims to keep him busy. Often I serve as an expert witness in his cases to verify the systems and safeties were in place and functioning as designed and per applicable regulations. Interesting side work. I feel blessed my kids never suffered an injury while I was distracted.

 

[rbh]

OUCH!

 

[MikDee]

I saw the same thing, maybe 50yrs ago in Macy's. I was about to go up on the escalator when about a 10yr old came down on the left side (horsing around), I was about to scold him, but then he tripped in front of me as his hand went into the left of the moving stairs! I didn't know what to do, or how to shut it off, but luckily in seconds a guy came over and hit a button, and shut the escalator down. The boys hand was still stuck. After seeing that I had to leave as a crowd gathered to help if they could. It shook me to the bone, and I felt weak thinking now the boy has to live with his serious injury for the rest of his life. Such a shame!

 

[greenbush future]

Such a sad story about the reality that life can really throw you a curve ball. I'm willing to bet this young man will overcome his loss, and be OK, but it's still sad to see, and read about. Could happen to anyone, lots of things could happen to any of us.

 

[RustyC]

Ouch. Poor kid. Now how long till they sue the store your son works for?

 

[relocyo]

Yikes... had a friend I used to surf with that had all his toes on his right foot amputated from an escalator accident as a child, and from what I recall his family sued and won a substantial amount of money...

 

[aspeck]

Glad Hayden was there to help. You have a fine young man there.

 

[QC]

Dang Phil!! I start reading this and was thinking it was you or Hayden losing fingers. And with guitar and all, jeez. Poor little guy, hard to find any good news in this situation, but I was relieved it wasn't either of you two.

 

[sublauxation]

I'll lighten this up if I can. A couple years ago I was holding the ladder for a neighbor who was cutting some trim on his house. He slipped and came relatively close to hitting his other hand with the blade. I said, "guess that's why they give us 10 fingers." He held out his hand and it turns out he was missing 2 finger tips.

 

[rivermouse]

I know a kid that stuck his finger up his nose............AND A BUGGER GOT IT

 

[bigdirty]

Too bad about the kid... and they might sue, but its bad parenting/lack of awareness that caused that child to get hurt imo... good on your son for ACTING and not freezing up as most people will do when something like that happens.. I work in a machine shop, and been working on cars/boats/houses for years.. Ive seen some gory and terrible accidents... things happen sometimes, but the worst thing to do is nothing.. If he acted as he did, i wouldn't be worried about him in the least..

 

[Bubbasboat]

Ouch! A real shame that young! Excellent job on your son's part! Sounds like it could have been worse. Be thankful for little favors!

 

[FlaCowboy]

I know a kid that stuck his finger up his nose............AND A BUGGER GOT IT

rivermouse...how many fingers did you come up missing that way...

The young man should overcome this because of his age...well wishes for him. My 23 year old son just had an accident last week. He works at a machine shop and a grinder got away from him and cut his right hand between the thumb and index finger. he had surgery this past monday to reattach the tendon. All should be well with time.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

I said the State Manager took my boy outside to talk.
He didn't know her position.
She asked if he had ever done anything like this. He replied no, worst was dislocating him knee 8 yrs back at basketball (remember his basketball skills QC?).
Next day he gets a call asking for a Drs Cert re any permanent effects of the dislocation.
Off to the Dr - gets the cert - everything fine, but he is a bit fired up over it all.
3 days later he rings in, asks for this woman, asks about the Cert, she explains they have to cover themselves etc, and he politely asks what position she holds in the Company, as he has only ever met his direct managers.
She replies she is the 'State Manager'.
I asked how that went and he assured me he was very polite, she was extremely interest in him, and he now knows who will recommend any future Graduate position or bursary.

He has not heard anything about the little bloke with the missing fingers.I would guess the situations is pretty professionally managed.

2nd lesson - be polite to everyone, all the time - you never know.
(I made the point: "the person who is going to make your life either a living hell or a living heaven, will probably be wearing a skirt!! ")

Cheers
Phillip

 

[Stumpalump]

If you wedge your foot against the face of the stair and hold it up as it is trying to go down it will stop the escalator. It does not work on all but worth a shot if you need to stop one.