A man lost both his legs in a freak accident after falling onto a New York City subway track in Manhattan just before a train arrived.
David Cassidy, originally from Clones, County Monaghan, in the Republic of Ireland, was on the way home to his apartment in Woodside, Queens, one morning in December when he stumbled and fell onto the tracks.
Despite the best efforts of bystanders, Cassidy, 33, could not be hauled back onto the platform before being struck by the train.
Cassidy was rushed to a specialist trauma facility at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan where medics had to amputate both his legs below the knee.
The 33-year-old, who moved to the U.S. in 2013, is now undergoing a series of surgeries at the hospital and faces a long period of rehabilitation.
The man's brother, Niall Cassidy, told The Irish Times that he was fortunate to escape the accident with his life.
"To be honest it's a miracle that these are the only real injuries he sustained. He also has two fractured fingers," the brother said. "We are counting ourselves lucky that we didn't lose him."
The brother has set up a GoFundMe page in order to help the 33-year-old with his medical expenses and other living costs. So far, the fundraiser has received more than $207,000 in donations.
"Due to the nature of David's injuries, his future medical expenses and prosthetics requirements are difficult to predict," Niall Cassidy wrote on the GoFundMe page. "Prosthetics alone will cost tens of thousands per limb and typically need to be replaced every three to five years."
"David's medical insurance will only go so far towards meeting the lifelong costs associated with his injuries. On discharge from hospital, David will need wheelchair accessible accommodation and will also require assistance with many aspects of daily life as he recovers."
The brother said doctors at Bellevue expect the 33-year-old to regain a "good level" of mobility, although this will take some time.
"David's resilience, positivity and strength since the accident have been an inspiration to all of us," the brother said. "He is eager to move forward, get back to work and get on with his life. It will undoubtedly be a long road."
Niall Cassidy said his brother was well-known for going above and beyond to help the people in his life.
"The support from everyone so far has been amazing and has made a very difficult time much easier to deal with," he said.
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Aristos is a Newsweek science reporter with the London, U.K., bureau. He reports on science and health topics, including; animal, ... Read more
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