Colorado Tree Worker Loses Legs in Horrific Wood Chipper Accident on First Day
A Colorado tree worker’s first day on the job turned into a nightmare. John O’Neill, 33, who had recently turned his life around after rehab, was just 15 minutes into his new role when a tragic accident occurred. According to the Denver Post, on September 24, O’Neill was feeding branches into a wood chipper when a piece of wood caught under his court-ordered ankle monitor, pulling him into the machine.
O’Neill described the terrifying moments, holding onto the edge of the wood chipper as its blades cut through his legs up to his thighs. He recalls yelling for help, but his coworkers, wearing ear protection, couldn’t hear him immediately. By the time they reached him, his legs were severely damaged.
Despite the trauma, O’Neill stayed calm, even assisting in applying a makeshift tourniquet until first responders arrived. He was airlifted to a hospital, where he “technically died” as his heart stopped and doctors replaced nearly all his blood.
O’Neill’s friend, Garrett Safir, set up a GoFundMe, raising $25,000 to support his recovery. O’Neill remains optimistic, planning to get prosthetics and use his experience to help others. He told the Denver Post, “I feel like this has given me a bigger platform to help people in recovery from drugs, alcohol, and traumatic events.”
Though O’Neill has not disclosed the name of his employer or any legal plans, he believes the ankle monitor played a crucial role in the accident, claiming he could have freed himself without it.
