A Photo In Search of a Story
On the same Snopes page that Scott references (post #2), between the motorcycle story and the fisherman story, is the information that was circulating at the time the pic appeared, AMOST 2 YEARS before (2004). Here it is: *** *** *** *** Back in 2004 an informant told us that the photograph originated in the trauma bay of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' (UAMS) emergency room. According to this source, the patient shown in the photo crashed his truck through a fence, causing a large fence post to come through part of the trucks' engine and firewall before catching on the spring wire in the back of the front seat, impaling the driver in the process. The patient was reportedly treated in the operating room but died a few days later of infection. We have not been able to independently verify these details, however. *** *** *** *** So Snopes isn't sure, but some logic and observation can be of great help. The automobile accident explanation, besides having the advantage of being older, and therefore closer to the actual event, seems to explain details of the pic best. The other two stories involve a body hurtling through the air and coming down on the post with such force as to tear through his body. I'll admit it that circumstance could easily shatter the pelvis, which has been done in this case, but I doubt that the man would wind up with the post still inside him. He surely would have bounced off, or had his motion stopped, and fallen to the ground. But impaled to this degree? I'm doubtful. Sitting in the cab of his truck, however, and having the fence post puncture the firewall and impale him against the seatback, because of the great force of the moving vehicle, seems very believeable. His body is oriented perfectly, and pinned against the seat, there was no where for his body to go, so the post continued through him. If you notice the top of the post, seen underneath the man's back, you will be able to envision how the seatback both held the man in place while the post went through him, but then also stopped further progress of the post. It's easy to believe that the material that skirts the entry point is either floorboard carpet or the upolstery from the seat bench, which was driven into him by the post, and which was cut away by paramedics on the scene. But if he's a fisherman flying through the air, or a motorcyclist, how do you explain the material? Yeah, a bit gruesome for this forum: perhaps linking it would have been better, Rick. I'm put off of my supper.
