Tony was my last First Sergeant for a period when I served in the South Carolina Army National Guard. Tony was a good enlisted leader who would occasionally tell a story-or-two. One of those stories has stuck with me for years.
Tony was an EMT for a few years in his civilian life. He saw a lot that was horrifying, but there was the occasional odd event that would make a good drinking story at the bar. Or in the field.If I recall correctly, he this on a slow day at drill.
So it was that on a particular day Tony's emergency crew got a call to an accident. Upon arrival they came upon what looked to be an awful wreck where a car hit the back of a semi-tractor-trailer. This was before the requirement to have the standard, heavy-duty rear bumper assembly that is seen on all semi-trailers today. It likely would have ensured this scene wouldn't have occurred. But that was still a few years in the future, so what they came upon was a car that had hit the back of the trailer, apparently at the speed limit or more. The trailer's frame was at the same height as the top of the auto's hood and passenger door. The car's roof was completely flattened under the trailer as though the car was a convertible of some sort. Typically, this sort of accident was accompanied by a decapitation.
Tony's rescue crew quickly realized that they would need heavier equipment to pull the car out from under the trailer, and then to peel back the roof in order to access the victim and remove what was probably one fatality, and possibly multiple fatalities, from the car. This was no quick job. They inspected the car for signs of life, bodily fluids, and any other evidence that would give them an idea of just what they would find once they peeled away this super-large, pseudo-sardine can lid. The crew called for a wrecker and prepared the cutting equipment and jaws of life. They also prepped the gurney, body bags, and other items that were quite typical for the recovery of an accident such as this.
Finally, the wrecker arrived. The wrecker latched to the car and the tractor-trailer was prepped to ensure it didn't move. Then slowly, and surely, the car was pulled from under the trailer. Incredibly, the roof was fully in place over what had been a passenger compartment and was firmly set into the car body. The power tools were cranked up to cut the roof supports and then the crews readied themselves to remove the roof.
“One! Two! Three!” and the crew peeled back the roof. Suddenly, a man sat straight up in the driver's seat, and yelled, “THAT WAS WICKED!” Everyone at the wreck site jumped back at least three feet, according to Tony!
Incredibly, the only passenger – the driver – was totally unscathed in the wreck. He didn't even have a scratch or bruise. And he was sober.
And he apparently lay in the car for over an hour, awaiting rescue, staying completely quiet, and subliminally deciding what his first words would be after his near-death experience! According to Tony, it was quite the announcement.
