Injured Man Rescued While Carrying His Own Severed Arm!

A seriously injured Maine man was rescued when he was spotted covered in blood and carrying his own severed arm! 

The incident occurred in Lewiston, Maine, when officials say that a public works crew saved the life of a man they happened to see stumbling along a street carrying his own severed arm.

Local paper the Sun Journal reported that the man’s arm was cut off near the shoulder in an apparent workplace accident, most likely with a band saw. The leader of public works in Lewiston says it “had to be divine intervention” that two workers sanding sidewalks nearby happened to be trained first aid, including in the use of tourniquets.

The public works employees were out sanding roads and sidewalks in the area when one of them, Ryan Barry, who was driving, noticed the man carrying his detached limb and immediately pulled over.

Police are still investigating the exact circumstances of how the man lost the arm, but they believe he somehow came into contact with a band saw at AK Market, a nearby business.

At this point, it is still unclear whether surgeons were able to reattach his arm, but the man is expected to survive.

Investigators said they followed a trail of blood to the market and said a separate OSHA investigation is being opened to determine if there was some kind of workplace accident or violation.

However, they have not said why the man was near the saw, and an employee at AK Market declined to comment on the incident to NECN/NBC 10 Boston after reporters showed up at the market.

Meanwhile, Lewiston’s Public Works Director, Mary Ann Brenchick, says she feels enormous “pride” that employees in her department were able to step in.

After Barry began to assist, he called two other employees, Cam Bernard and Bob Olsen, who were working close to the spot he had found the man, as well as first responders.  

The pair of employees arrived before emergency services and were able to turn a vest into a tourniquet to slow down the man’s bleeding.

According to Brenchick, Bernard and Olsen “are trained arborists, and they’re trained on chainsaw safety,” which allowed them to treat such a severe limb loss, which she described as being up to the man’s shoulder.

“They train other people on how to do tourniquets,” she said, adding that she calls their proximity to the scene “divine intervention.”

Brenchick believes the city will find a way to honor the three men at some point after the police investigation is complete, though she says they feel “humbled” and are not seeking recognition.

“We respond and don’t always get that recognition upfront, nor do we want it because we don’t expect it,” said Brenchick, highlighting that public works are, in a sense, first responders because they support police, fire, and emergency services by performing tasks like road safety maintenance.

In an e-mailed statement, Barry said, “I am grateful that I could assist someone in need, and just did what I hope anyone else would do. I am happy to hear the gentleman is still alive and relieved to hear that he survived the incident due to the quick actions of everyone involved.”

Brenchick said that as of Jan. 26, the man who lost his arm remained hospitalized and is expected to remain in the hospital for at least several more days.