His reattached hands are unable to fully open. Thompson said he has also reached out to political leaders for the state to speak with them about what more than can do for the disabled community. I still remember spinning on the shaft and then my arms just finally came off, didn't feel a thing. Have the years been good to him? Can he still use his arms? He'd still like to do that. On a January day in 1992, an accident on a central North Dakota farm forever changed John Thompson's life. Im just lying there on the stretcher and thinking Why dont they have the sirens turned on. And so I was complaining about that because they didnt want to excite me and Im like well just turn the siren on. And then I remember the one gal who was with me in the back looked and told the guy to slow down. He says the only pain he really felt was when the exposed nerve hanging down his right side knocked against something. The books is also available for checkout at Minot Public Library. Telling his story still gives him a purpose and makes him feel like he's making a difference. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The emergency services were called to the scene of the crash on Coulsdon Road around 7am on Friday. Everyone says, 'You've struggled so much with the accident.' Burgum's 'major' announcement in Fargo this week, Minnesota Crookston's Jake Hjelle named national Division II player of the year, Graduating seniors at Grand Forks Central, Red River receive diplomas, Independent bookstores on the rise in Minnesota, each with a story of their own. This accident was completely preventable and underlines why f. Please visit the HSENI website for more information about working at height, and other farming health and safety issues: 13 De Courcy Avenue, Carrickfergus, BT38 7LJ. Unfortunately, he cant remember everything about his 15 minutes of fame because doctors believe his massive blood loss affected his memory. They are "particularly keen to hear from any drivers who were on Coulsdon Road at approximately 07:00 hours and who may have recorded the events leading up to the collision on dashcam", a spokesperson said. "I say 'I had my arms ripped off' and pretty much leave it at that," Thompson said. Surrey Police force is responsible for policing across Surrey with headquarters based in Guildford. Before the accident, he had been terrified to talk in front of his classmates; now he found himself addressing thousands at a time. He was St. Paul bureau chief in 2005-07 and Suburbs team leader in 2015-20. Today, the 37-year-old works as a real estate agent in Minot, where he has lived for the past 11 years. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. "It's just something that happened.". In addition to working on his house and on the book, Thompson lifts weights, trying to rehab after recent knee surgery. But the attention that has followed him for the past two decades has been harder to deal with than the actual disability, John Thompson said. "When it gets cold, my hands don't work at all," he said. He often had to hand the keys to a client. Though he regained limited use of his arms, the physical limitations of Thompson's 19-year-old injuries have been more pronounced in recent months, he said. Loading One morning in 1992 the farmer was unloading pig feed with a grain auger when his shirt got snagged on the uncovered power takeoff (PTO) shaft. "Then after the accident, everybody loved me, everybody wanted to be my friend, everybody wanted to date me," he said. Please report any comments that break our rules. Reporter - Kingston, Epsom, Elmbridge, Richmond, Wandsworth, Croydon. His mom said the emotional scars and depression that followed the accident have been the hardest part of John's struggle. Now he's betting his business savvy leads to the White House. The story of a small-town North Dakota kid who dialed for help with a pencil clenched in his teeth and waited in the bathtub so he wouldn't get blood on his mother's carpet was featured in national headlines. That was no big deal at all," he said. During that time his life was threatened by a blood infection and he needed more surgery, but eventually the procedure was a success and he went through rehabilitation to regain the use of his arms. Any witnesses are asked to call the SCIU at Catford Traffic Garage on 020 8285 1574, quoting CAD 1234/01OCT2021. He sank into a deep depression after Christmas Eve 1994, when he accidentally ran over and killed his dog Tuffy, the blue heeler that had licked his face and awakened him after he was thrown by the takeoff shaft. They should also consider using a professional roofing contractor when required. And it's something everybody goes through, not to be ashamed of it, he said. While health insurance covered many of the expenses following the accident, Thompson sued his father it was their idea in 1997 to collect on the family's property insurance against the manufacturer of the farm equipment that had battered him. Send this article to anyone, no subscription is necessary to view it, Anyone can read, no subscription required, See At Londonderry Crown Court today, Limavady farmer John Thompson was fined 2,500 for a health and safety breach that resulted in a fatal accident on his farm in March of this year. "(My hands) are always in a fist, curled up, so it's hard to grab things or carry things," he said. Thompson said he will work to remain a positive influence for those who need him. "That's not easy to deal with as a young man and wanting to be independent," she said. He had never played sports because he didn't like attention, but now it seemed like the whole world was watching him. John Thompson was home alone when he had both his arms ripped off in a farming accident. That was probably the hardest thing I had to deal with, was the Notoriety, said Thompson. He was knocked unconscious. His celebrity helped raise money for United Blood Services and other charities over the years. After getting his arms reattached by surgeon Dr. Allen Van Beek (a 1966 University of North Dakota graduate) at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, Minn., he was put into a coma for four weeks so he could heal. John Thompson remains positive three decades after farming accident, Original owners buy brewery back from Anheuser-Busch, Man arrested for Attempted Murder in Wahpeton shooting, Spearfish woman charged with arson for Super Eight Hotel fire, Imagination Library of Montana launched with help from Dolly Parton, Kids fish with officers at Dickinson Cops and Bobbers, Closed Caption Inquiries - (701) 255-5757. I want everybody to know about it. But Thompson says he's adjusted to what he can do with his hands and doesn't want to lose his sense of touch. Its one thing I hate the most. While his arms might have been torn off in the horrific farming accident, doctors had a bold plan to undo the damage as they'd recovered his arms from the farm and planned to reattach them. He was placed in a pool of magnified light. At Londonderry Crown Court today, Limavady farmer John Thompson was fined 2,500 for a health and safety breach that resulted in a fatal accident on his farm in March of this year. He worked three years as a real estate agent, but ran into problems there; once he was unable to write up a purchase offer because the house was unheated and his hands were too cold to hold a pen. When he was taken to hospital he was told he 'shouldn't be alive' as there was pretty much 'no blood in you'. But he dropped out when university authorities barred him from public speaking because, he said, "if I said something wrong it would make the school look bad.". While in town he checked in with Dr. Allen Van Beek, the Edina plastic surgeon who with Dr. J. Bart Muldowney reattached his arms at North Memorial Hospital, and who has since become Thompson's friend as well as doctor. "We just kind of keep each other in check," she said. On Jan. 11, 1992, a teenager who hated being in front of a crowd was working on his family's farm near Hurdsfield. Thompson could write at length about the tough times. To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders, Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications, .css-o3g03s{color:black;}Published15:57,25 November 2022 GMT.css-1aaqh7x{color:#666666;}@media (min-width:1024px){.css-1aaqh7x{color:#666666;}}| Last updated15:57,25 November 2022 GMT. I get that all the time," Thompson said. And I don't remember any of that. He can't wear gloves, so he uses socks to keep his hands warm. The chief constable is Gavin Stephens. Then I just put my back against the tractor tire and pushed myself up.. Holding a nail is a pain because I dont have the fine motor skills.. Teacher. A person is in a critical condition after a bus hit two camels at Nankin in central Queensland early Monday morning. Thompson has been living in Minot for the last four years, working as a Realtor. "I keep trying to get away from it, but I have nowhere else to go, so I just keep going back to it. "It's not like he can do what the others his age can do," she said. The crew member was like, John, you dont have your arms anymore. I said, I know, but theyre freezing, and he said, Well theyre on ice in the front of the plane, Thompson said with a chuckle. Send this article to anyone, no subscription is necessary to view it, Anyone can read, no subscription required, See "It's almost like a branding iron when these tragedies happen. Is passenger train service between Twin Cities and Duluth really happening? I get that all the time," Thompson said. He lives mainly on state and federal disability payments, which limit how much he can earn before he risks losing those benefits. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. The book became a best-seller in the Midwest, and he hopes to republish it for the 20th anniversary of the accident, Thompson said. "That's usually the first thing people say: 'You're the kid in the bathtub.' "I don't care how old your child is, if your child is in pain, whether it's physical or psychological, you feel it," she said. Kevin Duchschere, a metro team editor, has worked in the newsroom since 1986 as a general assignment reporter and has covered St. Paul City Hall, the Minnesota Legislature and Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington and Dakota counties. It always comes back to people knowing me and wanting to use me.". Then he sat in the bathtub to prevent blood from getting on his moms new carpet. It was his first time on a real plane, and he argued with the crew to let him sit up so he could look out the window. Going forward just remembering that Im not the only one with issues. And then there was the media attention so much media attention from local, to national and international talk shows and news teams. "They said, 'This is Oprah Winfrey,' " he said. When he woke up, his arms were gone. The Mets Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) are investigating. Offered scholarships by several colleges, he chose the University of Mary in Bismarck, about 85 miles from his home. He survived the accident. He can look back and laugh now at some of it, but it was a harrowing ordeal. Go to . Sub: John that is the lamest excuse I've ever heard. The adjustment was confusing and painful. I mean, even growing up on the farm, I always looked forward to when the grain bins were empty and go inside the grain bin and sing because the acoustics were just unbelievable.. But the 48-year-old man in the leather jacket and neatly trimmed beard says he can no longer relate to the 18-year-old high school senior who slipped and fell into a power takeoff shaft while moving barley into a grinder making him, in a "ghastly way" as the Los Angeles Times put it, "an American hero.". I've done some really cool things. John Thompson had both his arms ripped off in a farming accident | Did You Know? They laid it beside me on a table, and they pulled my arms out of it. In a five-hour relay, 18-year-old Thompson and his appendages were taken by road and air from the farm here in Hurdsfield to a hospital in Minneapolis. "I didn't have any managers, I didn't have a publicist, I had nothing," Thompson said. Attending, they found the driver who was taken to St George's Hospital with "life-threatening . inaccuracy or intrusion, then please This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. Sign up to our newsletter here, register to our site here, join us on Facebook here and follow us on Twitter here. Readers can reach Forum reporter Heidi Shaffer at (701) 241-5511. He didn't graduate and after about two years, he began touring full-time telling his story, talking about farm safety and motivating others to persevere. In 2002, Thompson published the book "Home in One Piece" about the accident. He then put himself in the bath to avoid bleeding all over the carpet, which is an incredible thing for someone who's had both of their arms ripped off and is bleeding heavily to think of in the moment. But then he remembers telling the crew how cold his arms were. "I pretty much have to climb in there to get the clothes out.". I met the Clintons, and I have no memory of it at all. "That's usually the first thing people say: 'You're the kid in the bathtub.' I was bleeding out, he said. Digest https://youtu.be/0T2XOITu-4IIn 1992, John Thompson was home alone. "The attention was way harder. He was. Id like to write a more open book.. Last year, Thompson began losing some strength in his hands, a problem made worse by North Dakota winters, he said. Patients ask me about that story to this day.". December 25, 2010 at 11:00 PM Share On a January day in 1992, an accident on a central North Dakota farm forever changed John Thompson's life. He can't write legibly, but he's a better typist now than he was before the accident. And despite his setbacks, he remains defiantly proud of who he is and what he has endured over the last 30 years. The then-high school senior's arms were severed by a tractor's power. Home alone at the time of the accident, John woke up to his dog licking his face and realised that his arms had been torn off. Thompson said he dropped out but was still on the ballot that year. North Dakota's John Thompson became famous overnight in January 1992, when he survived having both arms ripped off on his Hurdsfield, ND farm. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. A man who had both of his arms ripped off in a farming accident as a teenager made an incredible recovery. He got to use his voice shortly after the accident, including that national anthem at the Twins game and singing at high school graduation, but these days, he mostly sings at weddings, funerals and karaoke. But the accident changed every aspect of his life how he eats, gets dressed, drives a car and even smokes a cigarette. The attention left him feeling more like a side show than a person at times, he said. John Thompson doesn't remember a lot about the North Dakota farm kid whose arms were ripped off by an auger 30 years ago and then reattached during six hours of painstaking surgery in Robbinsdale. They lost the case because Thompson was a family member, not a farm employee. They found themselves singing at the same karaoke bars a few years later. 554 views, 4 likes, 1 loves, 1 comments, 6 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Faith Hatton: Original Airdate: 01/19/2021 A Minot man is celebrating 29 years of moving forward after a nearly fatal. Thompson, who lives in Minot, N.D., rented an apartment this winter in Minneapolis. The 10-year-old rescue cat keeps hitting the phone where Thompson is trying to have a Zoom call with The Forum. Loaded onto a plane bound for a hospital in Minnesota, John's arms were surgically reattached and he was placed into a four week coma so he could properly heal. "I could still improve his function if he wanted to," Van Beek said. with some of his music. This is gonna make you look bad. So we left a lot of stuff out of it. If he meets someone new, he introduces himself as just JT. On Saturday morning, Jan. 11, 1992, Thompson was unloading pig feed with a grain auger and playing with the dog when he somehow got too close to the power takeoff shaft (PTO), which didnt have a safety shield on it. It's not going to help me to think about the what ifs, he said. I have my phone sitting on his cat tree, so hes trying to play, said the exasperated Thompson while trying to reposition the phone Toby knocked over. All rights reserved. A new information appeal has been launched after a fatal crash in Old Coulsdon on Friday (October 1). Download a free digital copy or order Thompsons book here. Van Beek wants him to consider prosthetic hands to improve his dexterity. The attention left him feeling more like a side show than a person at times, he said. Being as stable as I am, when I try to get one pill out of a bottle, I usually end up with 50 of them or drop the whole bottle, he said. Until he lost his arms Thompson was just one of 13 seniors at tiny Bowdon High School, near his hometown of Hurdsfield, N.D. Thompson said he never set out to become a public figure. In 2002, he published a book, "Home in One Piece," about his life. "I'm damned impressed with what I've done.". Things are more difficult for Thompson, but he still does them. Pick a side: Mayo Clinic weighs in on the healthiest sleeping position, Gov. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, Wales, NP20 1DW Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. In 2002, on the 10th anniversary of his accident, he wrote a book entitled, Home in One Piece". After publishing a book about his experience titled Home in One Piece, Thompson said hes seen the effects his story has on others. He toured the nation telling his story, urging farmers to adopt safe practices. Copyright 2021 KFYR. Doug Burgum 'bet the farm' on a software firm. Formed in 1851, the force covers an approximate population of 1,067,200. - A Minot man is celebrating 29 years of moving forward after a nearly fatal farming accident in 1992 changed his life. His hands, however, are fisted and must be manually opened, which sometimes rips the skin. He was home alone when his arms got caught in a tractor's power takeoff. As Thompson, the reluctant teenage hero, looks back on the three decades since that awful day in January 1992, he refuses to think about what his life could have been like if the accident never happened. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. Attending, they found the driver who was taken to St Georges Hospital with "life-threatening injuries". Before COVID-19, he had planned to sell his house in Minot and buy a condo in Minneapolis, where he said no one knows him. "It's kind of therapeutic for him. After nearly 30 years, Thompson said he can still recall every detail of that fateful day. Tracy Briggs is an Emmy-nominated News, Lifestyle and History reporter with Forum Communications with more than 35 years of experience, in broadcast, print and digital journalism. . worker died from his injuries the following day. "Coming from a town of 70 people and not knowing anything being thrown into the spotlight and being known around the world was just scary," he said. One man staying positive as he continues to move forward. John Thompson can't button a shirt, shake your hand or write legibly. But the publicity was positive in many ways, too, he said. However, he still managed to get up and dial for help via holding a pencil in his mouth. Twenty years later, Thompson still gets noticed as "the kid in the bathtub.". In 2002, Thompson published the book "Home in One Piece" about the accident. He got back into lifting weights to build up his strength, though admitted he never fully regained his fine motor skills. The subsequent surgery to reattach his arms garnered international media attention all a little daunting for the then 18-year-old farm kid from Hurdsfield, North Dakota. "It's OK to break. Weigel first met Thompson when he visited her following reconstructive surgery on her own severed arm. Her producers once asked him to do the show, but Thompson had already committed to addressing 50 students at a rural North Dakota school. But Thompsons real passion remains singing something he started doing as a kid. Walz signs bill giving attorney general more oversight of Sanford-Fairview merger, Who will and will not be at Gov. John: I have nerve damage on account of my arms being torn off in a tragic farming accident Ms. Thompson hit the road again, this time doing book tours, and "Home in One Piece" became a bestseller in the Midwest. He remembers the trip well. But where is he now? Kevin Duchschere We see that you have javascript disabled. Confabulation: Whats really happening when people with dementia seem to lie? He was just sitting there dying when he remembered my story of biting the doorknob, so he went to bite the doorknob and got out. The crash closed a local road in both directions. There's no comparison. "In Singapore, I was introduced as the guy who put the arms back on that farm kid. He can't stuff them into his pockets or wear gloves, which means he must shovel snow barehanded until his hands "go dead" and he needs to warm them. One thing that people don't realize is how much me being disabled, people are like You know, whatever, you cant do anything about it anyway,'" he said. One morning in 1992 the farmer was unloading pig feed with a grain auger when his shirt got snagged on the uncovered power takeoff (PTO) shaft. Today, Thompson still gets recognized almost everywhere he goes, and it's those details people remember, he said. During his time as a Realtor, he had trouble using keys and opening the doors of the houses he was showing. Thirty years ago, Van Beek. His celebrity helped raise money for United Blood Services and other charities over the years. "Look at all the things that have been written about me you know, 'Too tough to die.' Falls from height are one of the four main causes of accidents resulting in serious injuries and death on Northern Irelands farms. He was home alone when his arms got caught in a tractor's power takeoff. MINOT, N.D. A Minot man is celebrating 29 years of moving forward after a nearly fatal farming accident in 1992 changed his life. We see that you have javascript disabled. But today his cat, Toby, is getting on his last nerve. He visited the White House and worked with First Lady Hillary Clinton to promote 911 and ambulance service in rural areas. Before long, Thompson was getting requests from strangers to touch and heal them and threats from others who were jealous of his sudden fame and fortune. As he approaches the 30th anniversary of the accident next year, hes hoping to revisit the idea of the screenplay and add more detail to the books story. "It's just something that always brought me joy. "Everybody needs to be needed, and that's what he's looking for," Karen Thompson said. Only later did he find out, he said, that his lawyer had turned down a settlement offer. Thirty years ago, North Dakotan farmer John Thompson suffered a terrible accident which nearly killed him and tore off both of his arms. - YouTube #shortsDid You Know? There's no comparison. All rights reserved. Thirty years ago, North Dakotan farmer John Thompson suffered a terrible accident which nearly killed him and tore off both of his arms. His accident serves as proof that he can make it through things.". This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Thompson would like to get back into speaking or politics on a local level. It's just embedded in you.". He said: "I was just doing that, standing around playing with the dog and somehow I got too close to the PTO shaft. Shared with Public Follow North Dakota's John Thompson became famous overnight in January 1992, when he survived having both arms ripped off on his Hurdsfield, ND farm. , Star Tribune Following his high school graduation, Thompson attended the University of Minnesota for a while, but he says it was not a good experience. He started getting busier with speaking engagements around the country and donated proceeds to United Blood Services because blood donations saved his life. "My arms don't go straight," he said. Thompson doubled down on a budding career as a motivational speaker. People magazine did a story on his senior prom, and the Twins invited him to sing the national anthem before a game at the Metrodome. His disability has made finding work difficult, Karen Thompson said. Thompson and his arms were eventually loaded onto a plane for Minneapolis where the arms would be reattached. Editors' Code of Practice. YouTube Channel He can't button a shirt, but he can slip an already buttoned one over his head. He worked for a time as a realtor, but is currently not able to receive a regular paycheck because of the disability insurance he gets. Thompson says hes experienced depression for years and is very open about it. Thompson nearly died of a blood infection and endured more surgery and intensive rehabilitation. He's told the story so many times, in front of so many people, that it feels like he's talking about somebody else, telling somebody else's story. And Im like Ok, I have no arms, dont slow the ambulance down just get me there, said Thompson. Tuffy had stayed at his side as he made his way to the house and had shown the ambulance crew where one of his arms had landed. Military veterans sent him their medals. When I first wrote it, times were much different. They want to literally fight me because they think You're too good to shake my hand? I'm like, dude, I can't.. "And he couldnt get out of the chicken coop, and he just sat down because he had no way to get out of it. The then-high school senior's arms were severed by a tractor's power intake and successfully reattached in an eight-hour surgery. Then he sat in the bathtub until help came, so he wouldn't drip blood on the new carpet. John Thompson lost both of his arms as a teenager while using an. He was still fuming about his wrecked boots, when he noticed the staff carrying a trash bag. It's OK to ask for help. But he was starting to get dizzy. But the publicity was positive in many ways, too, he said. "He saved my life and I took his," Thompson said. At rest they bend slightly at the elbows; some movements aren't possible for him. By He says while hell get the occasional hug from someone who recognizes him and remembers his story, hes also been taken advantage of and harassed by people. But today, he's unemployed and living off disability. Todays sentencing comes after a Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) investigation into the accident where an employee fell approximately three metres while assisting Mr Thompson replace roof sheeting on a farm building. "I try doing other things and they just haven't worked out. This is a whole, new design which only allows one pill at a time.. Then the teenager went to the bathtub to await paramedics. But Tobys interruptions are small potatoes for this 47-year-old survivor a man who, 29 years ago today, had both his arms ripped off in a farm accident. "My shirt wasn't tucked in and they figure my shirt got wrapped up in the PTO shaft. Today, he continues to make an impact in the disabled community and beyond. He didn't want to bleed all over his mom's carpet. John Thompson, who as an 18-year-old North Dakotan won widespread fame after his arms were ripped off in a farm accident and then reattached in the Twin Cities, looks forward to a more normal life after surviving the highs and lows of celebrity. Theyd say You can't say this, you can't say that. Thompson is recovering at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale, Minn., where his arms were reattached in a series of surgeries following a freakish, and preventable, farm accident.. "I always refer to him before the accident as somebody else, because we're not at all alike," said Thompson in a recent interview in Minneapolis. Farmers must never take shortcuts and should ensure that proper controls, such as scaffolding, should always be in place to prevent workers being injured. I've been to Washington three times. "That's not easy to deal with as a young man and wanting to be independent," she said. By the time I got to the hospital, they said You shouldn't be alive because there's no blood in you.. To Thompson "it's not a big deal" anymore, and it "embarrasses" him when people ask to hear the story, the story they probably already know, he said. A Gannett Company. "But he likes people to hear his story," Weigel said. He refused to reschedule. Now, Thompson's considering leaving North Dakota and the cold winters, and moving to someplace warm like Arizona. He'd love to do more singing and cut a record. I'm sitting there trying to figure out how to get up. After having his arms reattached and trying to regain some normalcy in his life, Thompson went to school at the University of Mary. If you feel you have received this message in error, please contact the customer support team at 1-833-248-7801. Thompson became an instant hero and received international attention after the accident. Thompson currently splits his time between his home in Minot and an apartment in Minneapolis. "Coming from a town of 70 people and not knowing anything being thrown into the spotlight and being known around the world was just scary," he said. Much of his memory loss is due to a traumatic brain injury that was caused, he figures, by the staggering amount of blood he lost on that frigid morning in January 1992, along with all the pills he's taken to deal with anxiety in the years since. AgweekTV Full Show: WOTUS, cattle numbers, Clear Springs Cattle Co., gardening for hunger, HyLife plant in Windom, Minnesota, to close Friday: 1,000 workers will lose jobs, Nicole Wardner named new executive director of the North Dakota Beef Commission, Iowa farm girl turned entrepreneur gives blueprint for SD leaders to revitalize small towns, DAPL influenced Summit's CO2 pipeline route, analysis shows, North Dakota landowners group sues state regulators over property rights, land survey laws. He has since sadly passed away. As a result of his fall on 26 March 2015, the. But the attention that has followed him for the past two decades has been harder to deal with than the actual disability, John Thompson said. The then-high school senior's arms were. Surviving his celebrity has proven to be another matter entirely. As I'm laying on my bed in the emergency room, my arms are laying a couple of feet from my head, he said. He has good friends who care about him and will come over to change a burned-out light bulb. "I never recovered from it.". It is believed no other vehicles were involved.". Thompson still struggles daily with the results of that accident - both physically and emotionally, said his mom, Karen Thompson, who still lives on the Hurdsfield, N.D., farm where the accident took place. May 28, 2022 - 10:08 PM. I try not to think about it. Today, Thompson still gets recognized almost everywhere he goes, and it's those details people remember, he said. Most employers won't give him a chance because of his disability, Karen Thompson said. more of the story, Why new "Exit Only" signs have appeared on Hwy. So what is Thompson up to now? He no longer has most of the $750,000 in donations, investments and income he amassed, thanks to a money manager who he said squandered it in the market. "To me it was like it was yesterday," said Karen Thompson, John's mother. The media attention has long since quieted down. He's got a big heart, but he's stubborn.". Get the latest news from the BBC in Surrey: Local website with breaking news, sport, weather and travel from the area plus in-depth features, analysis, audio and video coverage; listen to BBC . No one else was home, so he walked 100 yards to the house to call for help turning the doorknob with his mouth to get inside and using a pencil to dial the phone. Thompson wants to do a children's book, a story about a three-legged dog. They've talked many times when Thompson has gotten sad or depressed. more of the story, Why new "Exit Only" signs have appeared on Hwy. "I don't care how old your child is, if your child is in pain, whether it's physical or psychological, you feel it," she said. Even three decades on, the story comes readily to mind: how Thompson, alone on the farm and without his arms, staggered 100 yards to the house, used his mouth to twist open the doorknob and clenched a pen in his teeth to dial his cousin for help. I'm not canceling. Thompson's arms today work fairly well. "When it gets cold, my hands don't work at all," he said. When somebody has a similar accident the hospitals will call me and Ive flown to Minneapolis and driven there many times and talk to the families and support them and what theyre going through and give them advice on what to do and what to expect, said Thompson. Everyone says, 'You've struggled so much with the accident.' The story of a small-town North Dakota kid who dialed for help with a pencil clenched in his teeth and waited in the bathtub so he wouldn't get blood on his mother's carpet was featured in national headlines. He got thousands of cards and letters from well-wishers around the world, many addressed simply to "The Brave Teenager Whose Arms Were Rejoined" (Australia). Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. "And I knew absolutely nothing about anything.". The book sold well, and for a while, he was in discussions with actor Victoria Principal about turning it into a screenplay and film. He also recorded a Christmas album for his parents and has a The then-high school senior's arms were severed by a tractor's power takeoff and successfully reattached in an eight-hour surgery. I can't find nothing else," he said. He's close with his family. That's not John Thompson's story anymore. Thompson still struggles daily with the results of that accident -- both physically and emotionally, said his mom Karen Thompson, who still lives on the Hurdsfield, N.D., farm where the accident took place. Nevertheless, after running through a series of jobs, struggling with relationships and enduring years of therapy, what happened to Thompson that January day still largely defines who he is and what he does. Please enable javascript and refresh the page to continue reading local news. "That's always been a great thing about it," he said. John remembered his horrific accident and the incredible effort he put in to survive long enough for help to arrive. 2023 www.sj-r.com. At his high school graduation in May of 1992, just five months after the accident, it was easy to see that the soft-spoken Thompson was pretty uncomfortable with the dozens of news crews that showed up for the ceremony. Hes also working with a friend to patent a new prescription bottle design that makes it easier to get just one pill out of the bottle. Follow Thompson on his public Facebook page here. Painfully shy, more comfortable with his dogs and cats than his classmates, he was thinking about a career in music or maybe aviation. He gave that life up in 1995, after the road wore him down physically and emotionally. FARGO -- On a January day in 1992, an accident on a central North Dakota farm forever changed John Thompson's life. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. MINOT, N.D. Its pretty clear John Thompson is a guy who doesnt get rattled by much. And what brings him joy today? Is passenger train service between Twin Cities and Duluth really happening? John Thompson lost both of his arms as a teenager while using an auger, but was able to have both of them surgically attached. "Good, this is John Thompson. He had to call police to keep stalkers at bay and hire bodyguards when he was speaking. Just ask Oprah Winfrey about his stubbornness. Though he regained limited use of his arms, the physical limitations of Thompson's 19-year-old injuries have been more pronounced in recent months, he said. "I'd like to see what would happen to you if you're 18 and you get thrown into all this," Thompson said. I didn't know what was going on, he recalled. And that's why I pushed so hard and talked so much about mental stuff.". Surgeons reattached his arms and his story became international news. The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and the Herald are Forum Communications Co. newspapers. But Thompson still stays busy, including a recent remodel of the home he initially bought to flip, but ended up keeping for himself. Its frustrating. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. A spokesperson for the Met Police described their impression of the crash as they appealed for more information: "A car was travelling north on Coulsdon Road at excess speed, when the driver lost control, overturned and collided with a wall on a residential driveway. FARGO -- On a January day in 1992, an accident on a central North Dakota farm forever changed John Thompson's life. The book became a best-seller in the Midwest, and he hopes to republish it for the 20th anniversary of the accident, Thompson said. Because he was busy speaking or working on his 2001 book, "Home in One Piece," Thompson passed on a number of opportunities. Jennifer Weigel, a Minot paralegal and Thompson pal, said he likes nothing better than working on his house, eating barbecue with her family and singing karaoke. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. His physical strength continues to deteriorate, and even collecting socks out of the bottom of the drying machine is difficult for him. Victoria Principal wanted to do a movie about him. Despite the dire situation that day in the emergency room, Thompson remembers carrying on normal conversations with people, worrying that he left the tractor running, and even getting angry at the medical staff for cutting off his brand new cowboy boots. But he still got up, walked to his house and called for help using a pencil in his teeth. Yeah, you cant help but feel good about something like that., Fargo's unusual dome house undergoes massive remodel to bring blast from the past back 'around' again, Fargo's most famous UFO sighting was in the skies above a 1949 Bison-Augustana football game. As a result of his fall on 26 March 2015, the 56 year old worker died from his injuries the following day. Instead, hes trying to focus on any of the good things that have come from living the life hes led, one of which includes a story about a boy in Arkansas. In a statement that continued to appeal for witnesses of the crash to come forward, a spokesperson for the Met Police confirmed Sunday (October 3) that the driver, who otherwise remains anonymous, died in hospital. The emergency services were called to the scene of the crash on Coulsdon Road around 7am on Friday. The world watched as he regained the use of his. We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. A 45-year-old driver and 13-year-old passenger were treated for minor injuries after a crash that left the M25 closed for more than seven hours His parents, Larry and Karen Thompson, still live on the farm though they lease the land to others. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Theres not a whole lot I dont do from shingling, raking, mowing, painting, Thompson said. An account set up for him at a local bank quickly collected hundreds of thousands of dollars. And he can't shake your hand, but he likes fist bumps. That's all he really wants: to help others, his mother said. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can An organization or individual has paid for the creation of this work but did not approve or review it. Mental stuff. `` than a person at times, he said of... By several colleges, he 's got a big heart, but it was yesterday, Karen! And an apartment in Minneapolis pool of magnified light he had to with... Celebrity helped raise money for United john thompson farm accident services because blood donations saved his life, said. Wrote it john thompson farm accident '' Thompson said to someplace warm like Arizona disability Karen. However, are fisted and must be manually opened, which limit how much he can do ''! To bleed all over his head nerve hanging down his right side knocked something! 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Account set up for him 'You 've struggled so much with the accident. get the out!, he said 2015, the 56 year Old worker died from his home in one Piece '' about what!
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