Colorado man survives losing both legs in wood-chipper accident

Oct 18, 2024

Broomfield resident John O’Neill had made it out of rehab, he was in stable housing, he was sober, and he had finally landed a job he loved doing: tree work.

But 15 minutes into his first day, the 33-year-old found himself fighting for his life, gripping the edge of a wood chipper as blades whipped through his legs below. Later, in a helicopter on the way to the hospital, O’Neill “technically died.”

“My heart stopped. …They essentially replaced all the blood in my body,” O’Neill said.

On the morning of Sept. 24, the day after the incident, O’Neill awoke in a hospital bed. He had received about 15 pints of blood and was about to be given more.

“I was in an excruciating amount of pain,” O’Neill recalled. “I felt my legs were broken. It took me a minute to realize and remember what had just happened.”

When he looked down O’Neill only saw a bare bedscape: His legs were gone.

Then the memories of what happened in Longmont the day before came flooding back to him.

At 10:18 a.m. Sept. 24, O’Neill had just began working the wood chipper in the 900 block of Emery Street in Longmont.

He had just put a fish-hook-shaped branch into the chipper when the blades flipped the hook of the branch around. The wood got wedged under his court-ordered ankle monitor and began dragging him into a wood chipper.

“Something happened in my brain to where I realized I was in fear for a lot more than just losing my leg or my foot,” O’Neill said.

In that moment, O’Neill dove up and grabbed the edge of the wood chipper and held on for his life.

“The pain was very — it was not there almost,” O’Neill recalled. “I didn’t really feel the pain as much as I knew I was in trouble. It went from a fight for my limb to a fight for my life, very fast.”

Blades made clean cuts through his boots, then into his feet, up both legs and over the knee.

“I was yelling for help but everyone had ear protection on,” O’Neill said. “It took a minute before my coworkers realized what was happening.”

Even though the incident only lasted a couple seconds, O’Neill’s thoughts went to his loved ones. He even recalled his high school wrestling coach.

“I thought of my mom and my friends and people who look up to me and people who needed me and people who were counting on me and people who have taught me to fight,” O’Neill said.

It wasn’t until blades hit his mid-thigh that his coworkers were able to pull him out.

“I looked down and saw something that looked like what you see in movies,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill saw skin, bone, arteries, muscle tissue and an immense amount of blood flowing from his body. He grabbed a nearby rope and worked with his co-workers to make a makeshift tourniquet.

“I didn’t freak out, I did stay calm,” O’Neill said, adding, “My coworker said I was very cognitive throughout the whole thing.”

O’Neill said he tried to slow his breathing to slow his heart rate to ultimately buy him more time. However he began to lose consciousness as his new colleagues tried to keep him awake with sternum rubs.

“I was fading out but my coworkers kept me alive,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill said the police arrived very quickly and worked to apply tourniquets. He was taken to a local hospital and then flown to St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood via Flight For Life.

O’Neill declined to name the company he worked for and or whether he plans to sue. O’Neill did criticize the design of ankle monitors and said he “firmly believes” that if he didn’t have the ankle monitor on he would’ve been able to get free.

The next day, the first person O’Neill called was his mother, who lives in New Jersey. Upon hearing the news, she was “sent into such a panic” that she had to be admitted to the hospital for three days.

“I didn’t know what to think and I couldn’t imagine what had happened,” Barbara O’Neill said.

Barbara O’Neill said her son hasn’t really talked about the loss of his legs and has instead been making jokes and “trying to be strong for everyone else.”

“I think John sort of has a knack of zeroing in on the person in the room that looks a little intimidated …or someone who just looks like they could use someone to talk to,” Barbara O’Neill said. “He makes them feel comfortable. He has a real heart for that.”

John O’Neill said along with seeing all his friends and family he hasn’t seen in years, he’s also gotten to reconnect with his high school wrestling coach.

“I got to reconnect with him and tell him how much he meant to me and how he basically saved my life,” he said from St. Anthony’s Hospital, where he remains as he gets treatment.

Barbara O’Neill said in the second conversation she had with him on the day after the incident, he said, “Mom, I’m going to be able to help so many people.”

John O’Neill explained that in his time in rehab prior to the accident he connected with The Phoenix, a nonprofit organization based in Denver that hosts and organizes sober activities and events.

The 33-year-old explained that he grew fond of rock climbing and CrossFit classes through the organization and plans to continue participating with the help of adaptive climbing specialists.

John O’Neill also volunteered at the West Pines Behavioral Health in Wheat Ridge.

“I feel like this has given me a bigger platform to help people in recovery from drugs and alcohol and help people in recovery from traumatic events,” he said.

John O’Neill said he plans to get prosthetics and continue volunteering and advocating.

“That’s the kind of goals I’m setting for myself to be right back there and I’m not going to listen to anyone who tells me that’s impossible,” John O’Neill said. “I’m someone who can do things I’ve never done before.”

He added, “This is uncharted territory and I can’t wait to dive into it because I feel like life is going to be more exciting. I’ve always enjoyed a challenge.”

Those interested in helping John O’Neill, can donate to his GoFundMe which he plans to use towards medical care and wheelchair accessible housing.

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