Man Loses Both Legs in Wood Chipper Accident

John O'Neill, a 33-year-old Colorado man, suffered a life-altering accident during his first day on the job as a landscaper when his ankle monitor became snagged in a wood chipper, resulting in the loss of both his legs above the knee. The incident occurred on September 24, where O'Neill was attempting to load branches into the machine when a hook-shaped branch caught the monitor, dragging him into the blades. Despite the immediate danger, he managed to remain calm and fashioned a tourniquet from a rope while his coworkers, initially unaware due to ear protection, eventually pulled him out. Emergency responders airlifted him to the hospital, where he was informed that his heart had briefly stopped. O'Neill, who recently completed rehab and was eager for a fresh start, is now focused on recovery and considering legal action against the tree care company or the ankle monitor manufacturer. His family has struggled to cope with the news, with his mother requiring hospitalization, but O'Neill is determined to stay positive and reconnect with supportive figures from his past.