The moment when a farmer’s body is crushed by the three-foot spike of a forklift, but it miraculously misses his vital organs.
Jonathan Willis was 42 years old and working at his farm. On October 26, 2020, the vehicle drove forward and tore through Willis’ back.
Jonathan is seen in video footage not realizing that the yellow JCB was carrying a pair three-foot long steel spikes and moving toward him around 4.30 p.m.
He felt the left fork go through his lower back and puncture his intestinal wall. It exited at his stomach, but miraculously his vital organs were not affected.
The scene shows Mr WIllis, who is seen lying on his back before Wendy rushes in to save him. East Anglian Air Ambulance arrived at the scene approximately 25 minutes later.
Jonathan Willis, Farmer in Cambridgeshire had an incredible escape from being impaled when this spike struck him.
Wisbech’s Mr Willis from Cambridgeshire stood in front of the JCB as he was skewered
Surgeon Emmanuel Huguet (left) saved Mr Willis’s lives by operating on him and removing the large, metal spike.
Pictured are Mr Willis and Wendy (center), with Paramedic Andy Bates and Dr Nathan Howes of the air ambulance team. They were flown to Addenbroke’s hospital. He was stabilized by the air ambulance crew and taken to Addenbroke’s hospital via road.
Wisbech’s Willis, Cambridgeshire resident, was conscious and received pain relief from emergency crews. He also used an angle grinder in order to get out of between straw bales, forklifts, and the forklift.
Ambulance crews took the father-of-5 to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. The fork was still in his body.
East Anglian Air Ambulance’s consultant, Dr Nathan Howes stated that Willis had been ‘good-humored despite the three-foot spike he has in his body.
Dr. Howes commented, “I will never forget the sense humour that he displayed until we arrived at the operating theater.” It was like treating a friend.
A team of 30 surgeons arrived on the scene at Mr Willis’s hospital at 6.51pm. The night was very long as they tried to save him.
To move Mr Willis by helicopter, firefighters used an angle grinder.
Amazingly, the fork made of thick steel was managed to be removed safely, even though it was just millimetres away from causing serious internal bleeding or destroying vital organs.
Jonathan was released to recuperate at home two weeks later. However, it took nearly five months for the wounds to fully heal.
According to Mr Willis, “What I experienced was an extremely unusual event and I am so grateful that so many experts were available to assist me.”
“I’m certain the outcome would have been different if it weren’t for you.” Everyone who saved my life will always be in my heart.
Dr. Howes explained that Jonathan was the first patient he met and he has never experienced an accident like this.
Pictured holding the steel section next to his forklift, Mr Willis is back at work on the farm
“I was impressed at how calm and stoic Jonathan, his wife Wendy were. It was a great help as we worked with Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Services on a plan to assist Jonathan and cut his tine and then release him.
“Fortunately Jonathan was released quickly and his vital signs were good enough to allow us to take Jonathan directly to the Cambridge Major Trauma Centre.
Mr Willis’s family has since raised £45,000 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance charity that helped save his life.
Doctor Emmanuel Huguet, who operated on Jonathan, said: ‘It seemed near impossible for someone to have survived such injuries as that area of the abdomen is full of overlapping tightly-packed-together organs and very major blood vessels.
“In order to perform this complex surgery, approximately 30 people were present at once, which included colleagues who kept the spike in place under the table until we could remove it safely.
“Mr Willis suffered from two things: a terrible injury and a miraculously good recovery.