Man crushed between two trucks escapes death, decides to have his picture taken
"Thank God that I’m still alive. Now I’ve got to go figure out why."
Farmer Kaleb Whitby, 27, said that after miraculously surviving a crash involving around 100 people and 26 cars in Oregon, US.
After the trucks slammed into Mr Whitby, he came to and realised his truck - as he knew it - was gone. Just a metal filling in a metal sandwich.
The 27-year-old was pressed against the steering wheel and was able to cut away his seatbelt but unable to do much more.
Unable to extract himself, he could only call for help.
But it proved effective as truck driver Sergi Karplyuk, 32, picked up his distress calls.
Mr Karplyuk found Mr Whitby.
But when it was clear his predicament was not life threatening, Mr Karplyuk asked if he could take a picture.
Mr Whitby calmy went along with the idea.
Foggy conditions
Mr Whitby, a father of one, said he was on his way to collect cattle when fog and icy road conditions led to the massive collision.
"I just braced myself and hoped that everything would be all right," Mr Whitby is quoted as saying in The Oregonian.
The collision left dozens injured yet no fatalities.
Just 30 minutes after being crushed, Mr Whitby was freed and left surprisingly unscathed.
"I’ve got two band-aids on my right ring finger, and a little bit of ice on my left eye," he said.
Source: TIME, Metro, The Oregonian
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