‘Miraculous’ Recovery for Man Who Fell 47 Floors

[XemaSab]

Source: New York Times

Alcides Moreno plunged 47 stories that morning last month, clinging to his 3-foot-wide window washer’s platform as it shot down the dark glass face of an Upper East Side apartment building. His brother Edgar, who had been working with him on the platform, was killed.

Somehow, Alcides Moreno survived.

He was given roughly 24 pints of blood and 19 pints of plasma and underwent an operation to open his abdomen in the emergency room because, his doctor said, they did not want to risk moving him to an operating room. As December went on, he endured nine orthopedic operations.

Yet somehow, Alcides Moreno, the man who fell from the sky, survived.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/04/nyregion/04fall.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087&em&en=a6cd1e14f02e1178&ex=1199595600

[Common Sense Party]

1. And then the Bush Admin. immediately had him deported.

After beating him with rubber hoses.

[SteppingRazor]

3. .

:spray:

[SteppingRazor]

2. Freaky, but it happens.

IIRC, the longest free fall without a parachute that someone survived was more than 30,000 feet!

[Common Sense Party]

4. How can that even happen?

I just can't even grasp the physics of such a thing.

[winter999]

5. Guess he took the "terminal" out of terminal velocity!

[EnviroBat]

6. Simple... Right before you hit the ground you simply jump upwardly.

This limits the impact and makes the fall quite survivable. I've tried this technique many times now, and I'm up to 100ft falls with nothing worse than a sprained ankle.

[MilesColtrane]

14. Otherwise known as the "Bugs Bunny Technique"... n/t

[Hell Hath No Fury]

8. The Mythbusters looked at that...

The person in question was a female airline steward on a Czech (iirc) plane. She was strapped into her seat that was part of a bulkhead. The bit of plane she was in/attached to landed "up" -- with her on top. Amazing story.

[SteppingRazor]

9. And before that, there was a WWII paratrooper that survived some 12,000 feet...

chute didn't open, fell through a think forest and into a huge snow bank. Walked away.

[happyslug]

18. No paratroopers, Two Tail-gunners, a Stewardess and a Pilot, but no paratroopers

See my post below for more information.

[John Gauger]

11. She was in the fuselage of a passenger jet.

The jet collapsed around her and took most of the impact. All the other people on the plane died.

[happyslug]

15. That was Alan McGee, a tail gunner on a US B-17

More on McGill and his 20,000 foot jump without a Parachute.
His fall was broken by the glass over the train station in St. Nazaire France during WWII (Serious Injuries reported, including severe cuts from the glass).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Magee

Vesna Vulovic actually beat him out, her fall was over 33,000 feet (She was found in the rear of her plane that had been blown up by a bomb): She hold the Record for falls without a parachute: Hospitalized and expected to die, but survived, paralyzed for a time period but within three months she could walk:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesna_Vulovic

Both cites contain list to other such survivors.

Some others:
Soviet pilot I.M. Chisov's fall of over 22,000 feet, was broken by snow as he hit a ravine which force his body to roll when he landed (Serious Injuries reported)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.M.Chisov

Nick Alkemade was a British Lancaster Tail-gunner who survived a 18,000 foot drop by his impact soften by Pine Tree limbs and snow (no serious injuries except for a sprain foot).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Alkemade

[Common Sense Party]

17. Fascinating stuff. Thanks for posting it!

Lucky the one guy was unconscious. I don't think I'd want to be awake for a drop like that.

[pansypoo53219]

7. just the way ya hit.

he fell well.

[catnhatnh]

10. Let me get this straight.....

He fell 47 stories straight down-virtually in the footprint of the building WITHOUT being STRUCK BY A PLANE???? (Sorry, I couldn't help myself.)

[Javaman]

12. Some say that his painting platform was rigged to blow...

but anyone can clearly see that all painting platforms are designed to come straight down...

:D LOL :rofl:

[Fovea]

13. I wish for him the best

For all that he has already suffered.

[Radio_Lady]

16. What an amazing story! I wish the best for him and his family.

Thanks for posting this.

[pipoman]

19. His wife says he is done washing windows for ever.