20 Survival Stories That Put Human Endurance in Another Light

Truman Duncan could see his cellphone, and reaching it became the first decision that mattered. While working at a rail yard in Cleburne, Texas, in June 2006, he slipped from a moving railcar and fell beneath its wheels. The accident severed his lower body and left him trapped under the heavy equipment. Remaining conscious, Duncan called emergency services himself and explained what had happened with startling clarity. The railcar’s position may actually have slowed the blood loss by placing pressure on some of his injuries, but moving it safely required careful coordination.