I survived this. AMA | TheaterFire

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

There was a civilian who saved my life. His belt stopped the bleed on my femoral artery. I owe him more than words can describe. He will be blessed.

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PapaJuja@reddit

Do you think that if you put a charcoal bricket between your butt cheeks that the heat and pressure generated from the pucker would have turned it into a diamond?

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kingsnow18@reddit

Glad you're alive! How bad were you injured? Did you leave trucking for good?

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

158 broken bones 5 open fractures 9 instances of code 1 deglovement 14 surgeries 8 days coma

Retired for sure. Haha

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JackxForge@reddit

for anyone curious that is \~75% of all of his bones.

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HexDanTHEWHALE@reddit

This beggs the question. Did you end up making a full recovery or are you now pretty disabled? (I know it's a bit forward, im just extremely curious 😅)

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

I'm still in the recovery process. It's not bright but it could be soooo much worse. I can walk(barely) & my right arm works. Time will tell how it all lands.

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HexDanTHEWHALE@reddit

Well sounds like thats more good news than bad news to me! We wish you a speedy recovery and a good rest of your miraculous life 🙏

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Ghost-1911@reddit

Holy shit!! Glad your survived that ordeal.

Was the other driver distracted or drunk?

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DirkLoogs@reddit

Omg. Best wishes brother. I forget how dangerous this job can be. Hope you get some sort of lifelong compensation. Stay strong.

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IIKoopaQueenII@reddit

The word deglove always makes me shiver. Damn. Glad you survived.

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IfIKnewThen@reddit

Holy hell driver. You are extraordinarily fortunate to have survived. Positive thoughts and vibes your way. I hope you have a speedy recovery!

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skyfly89@reddit

Fuck man. Good job sticking with us driver. I’m sure that was intense

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lildobe@reddit

Could get a Ouija Board if they did...

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GronGrinder@reddit

O N M Y P H O N E W A T C H I N G P O R N

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mass-foresti@reddit

What colour were your pants after this?

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R-e-s-t@reddit

this is why always wear brown pants... you just never know

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How long ago did this happen? How far have you come in recovery? Given the injuries you described earlier, I am guessing full recovery is not on the stars for you. How has / will this impact your life on a permanent basis?

And also, what is that load??

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

This was end of March '25.

All I can say right now on the recovery side of things as I am able to walk (maybe 15-20 minutes tops) and I have functional movement in 1 arm.

It's a very painful & probably lifelong process. I'm never going to be able to ride a motorcycle again. Never mind doing anything outdoors. I can't even play with my dogs.

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ArdenJaguar@reddit

Wow 😮. I’m glad you lived through it. This is definitely a widowmaker accident. How was the other guy? Any background on what caused him to veer into your lane?

I used to run up US95 in Nevada a lot (Vegas to Reno runs). That road always scared me because of stuff like this. These two lane stretches are so dangerous.

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Temporary_Big8747@reddit

Jesus Christ.. so glad you're OK. One of my biggest fears since getting my driver's license at 16 was how scary it is knowing it's only a painted line on the road to keep someone else from smashing into you. Fuck me, this is scary shit.. Thank God you're OK man..👊🙏🫂

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10xbek@reddit

Holy molly glad you're ok and here with us

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ADAM@reddit

Might be a stupid question but what did the impact feel like if you remember. Dashcam shows what appears to be 70mph in the corner. Assuming jackass was traveling at same speed that's a lot of mass coming to a stop that fast. Damn lucky to survive that!

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

Head on collision between two semis at 70 is the best way to describe it. I don't know that I can relate it to anything

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ADAM@reddit

Thanks for the reply. Your pictures made me think of the episode of mythbusters when they crashed two semis into each other. Good luck on your recovery stay strong out there.

https://youtu.be/VpGUzd2_ByM?si=Xa9sXxOk6KhZmh1Y

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DutifulBear@reddit

How was the post trip? Anything cracked, bent or broken?

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ID_Poobaru@reddit

Flip flop gang's fault?

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

I mean, the pic says it all, right? There was no avoiding it- didn't even see it til impact; he was hidden behind another truck and appeared as I was passing the tail of his trailer.

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nothingspecifical1@reddit

I was in a very similar situation to yours in my first year of driving. I was on a two lane highway with two bends back to back in the form of an S. Ahead of me was another 18-wheeler, and traveling in the opposite direction were two other 18-wheelers, the second of which decided to overtake the first one smack in the middle of the S. The oncoming truck was now fully in my lane, between me and the truck that was in front of me. I was doing 50mph, he must’ve been doing about the same. Had I not reacted and moved off to the shoulder, and thankfully there was a shoulder, I wouldn’t be here right now.

I’m glad you’re alive, wishing you a speedy recovery.

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Pitiful-MobileGamer@reddit

70 mph on a undivided two-lane Highway, or was this a wrong way?

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

West Texas, 54

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DirkLoogs@reddit

Did your underwear survive?

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

My shoes did.

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Chingasupinchemadre@reddit

Can you limp it to the shop?

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

It blew the entire front axle out from under the truck. Sooo I might need a tow.

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Chingasupinchemadre@reddit

It sounds like you’re not being a team player!

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Lolivares93@reddit

Hwy 287?

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

54

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Unusual_Low1762@reddit

Are you still able to make the delivery on time?

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

I tried to contact the dealerships but they said they wouldn't accept damaged product. Fuckin pricks.

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Main_Passenger2071@reddit

Wow god bless

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HowlingWolven@reddit

Daaaaaaaaamn. Took the side clean off. How much seat cushion did they have to extract from your butthole in the hospital?

How’d the other driver make out?

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

A full XL purple seat cushion.

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Jamo3306@reddit

How long were you in the hospital? You a company guy or owner op? Who's paying for the stay? Well you be going out again?

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

3 months, company driver. Time will tell

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PacificCastaway@reddit

Are those UTVs you were hauling?

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

Yeah.

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FlamingoWorking7598@reddit

Did you get paid out for it ?

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Foreign_Hyena_6622@reddit

Shit bro this is a nightmare . Glad you're still kicking man .

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Riyeko@reddit

So... How bad were your pants when everything stopped moving?

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Pitiful-MobileGamer@reddit

That's the day you hope you're wearing brown

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

Very wet.

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Riyeko@reddit

I don't blame you. I've had a couple close calls and had to stop and sit down.

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BathtubWine@reddit

I ride a motorcycle (former bus driver but the bus driver sub is dead so I lurk here to get my CDL fix) and had one insanely close call. Pulled over and just started yelling into the ether for want of anything better to do.

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kickstartmyfartt@reddit

Do you remember the exact moments before impact? Did time slow down? Did you accept imminent death? Any third person style out-of-body memories? Glad you're still here. Heal up.

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TrukerJay@reddit (OP)

I can't go into too much detail on the first question. Time did not slow down but I was aware until I wasn't. In the moment I did not have the slightest clue what happened, only that I could see things as they happened until shock & blood loss took over. There was barely enough time to process visually let alone have any thoughts.

According to first responders and at the intake hospital I died nine times between impact and stabilization. I don't recall ever experiencing anything you hear related to death experiences. I can best describe it as the sleep that has you waking up from a nap as a kid when you're sick and don't know what time or day it is or where you're at. Just dead.

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