Alcides Moreno
Alcides Moreno is a window washer who survived a fall of forty-seven stories.
On the morning of December 7th, 2007, the window washer's platform he and his brother Edgar were working on fell without warning from the 47th floor of an apartment building on 66th street in New York City. While his brother was killed on impact, Moreno survived despite severe injuries. Many, including Moreno's wife Rosario, have referred to his survival as a "miracle."[1] The fact that he didn't strike his head or break his pelvis during the fall is credited with saving his life.[2]
Dr. Philip S. Barie, the chief of the division of critical care at New York-Presbyterian Hospital where Moreno is being treated, has stated that the chances of surviving such a fall are well below 1%.
The death rate from even a three-story fall is about 50 percent, Barie said. People who fall more than 10 stories almost never survive.[3]
The story of survival was noted as far away as the United Kingdom.[4]
References
- ↑ Barron, James (2008-01-07). "‘Miraculous’ Recovery for Man Who Fell 47 Floors". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/04/nyregion/04fall.html.
- ↑ Wenner, Melinda (2008-01-07). "How To Survive a 47-Story Fall: Make sure you land on your feet.". Slate. http://www.slate.com/id/2181498/.
- ↑ CARUSO, DAVID B. (2008-01-07). "Window Washer Who Fell 47 Floors Awake". Associated Press. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jSz6k_1-Hp_nI1adkSvhYq3G4RGQD8TUO1VO1.
- ↑ Hanes, Tim (2008-01-07). "The Republicans in freefall? Don’t believe it: Our correspondent finds a political parallel in the story of a plummeting window cleaner". The Times (UK). http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/tim_hames/article3142140.ece.