A man called for help after finding a 16-year-old boy who had lost both legs when a train hit him on Friday morning in Rome, Georgia.
Police said the boy, identified as Kaden Oxenreider, was in critical condition at a hospital on Saturday, according to WSB-TV.
After the incident happened, a man named Jay Proudlove was taking a walk near his home because he was having trouble sleeping due to the hot weather and the fact that his air conditioner does not work well.
When Proudlove approached East Callahan Street, he noticed something out of the ordinary but did not recognize what it was at first.
“I look out of the corner of my eye; I see something white. I’m like, okay, shoot. I took the flashlight, there was a guy on the tracks,” he explained, adding that he immediately called 911 for help.
He also said of the victim, “Timing is everything, and maybe he does have a fighting chance.”
Police officers and medical emergency crews arrived at the scene and transported the teenager to a waiting ambulance.
An image shows what appears to be the first responders’ vehicles parked near the tracks:
Ga. teen loses both legs after being hit by a train https://t.co/SwVNEFuHnm via @WSAV
— WSAV News 3 (@WSAV) July 6, 2024
Law enforcement told Atlanta News First that the teenager is alive but “the outlook is not highly positive.”
A similar instance happened in 2017 when a teenage boy was hit by a train in Lilburn, Georgia, and lost both of his feet, Fox 5 Atlanta reported at the time.
“Jacob Ohl was lying next to the train tracks near Shelby Lane with his feet draped over the rail, according to police. He was struck by a northbound CSX train around 1 p.m., according to Lilburn police. Ohl called 911, and the responding officers applied tourniquets to both of his legs, according to officials,” the outlet said:
Per the recent WSB-TV report, Proudlove visited with Oxenreider’s family on Saturday and learned that he walks on the tracks often and goes fishing in nearby ponds.
Proudlove added, “I talked to his sister, and he’s in ICU right now. I just told her to keep her head up. He’s a young kid. He’s going to pull through. He’s got a lot of life ahead of him.”
The incident report said the train involved was with Norfolk Southern. After the teenager was taken to the hospital, the company took over the tracks again and one of its agents said he will complete an investigation regarding the case.
