Barstool Sports

Fox - After Andrew Linn fell asleep at the wheel during a Thanksgiving visit to Las Vegas last year, he drove into a yard and through a chain-link fence, forcing a pole through the windshield of his car. The pole didn’t stop there. It entered his face and came out the back side of his head. Emergency responders said Linn was conscious when they arrived, and was even trying to use his cell phone to call for help. On Tuesday, Linn, who is an Iraq War veteran, was reunited with the doctor who helped save his life during a University Medical Center trauma unit survivors’ lunch. “It was amazing to see someone with a pipe through his face like that (who) was alive,” said Dr. Jay Coates, associate professor of UMC surgery. “Let alone someone who was awake and alert and trying to communicate with us.” Linn’s wife, Melanie, said she has no doubt her family is blessed. “We had one doctor say, ‘I could not have surgically placed that pipe in there that way to do that. I don’t know how that happened,’” she said. “So we just know there was someone looking out for him.” Once the pipe was removed, Linn was left with scars, missing teeth and a destroyed palate. But he said he’s grateful for his doctors, who he said pulled off a miracle. “It’s a real humbling experience,” he said. “To think I lived through this. I should have died.” Also recognized at Tuesday’s survivors’ lunch were the two teen boys who were struck by lightning in Utah, and TJ Lavin, who crashed on his BMX bike last year.

I think it’s great that he got to reunite with the doctor that pulled the pole out safely at a “survivors’ lunch.” I had no idea those types of events existed. Just seems like the weirdest awards event possible. A three-hour circle jerk for the doctor that saved their lives. I’m sure at first they brought out the lame survivors — lightning-struck teens I’m looking at you. Everyone applauded and said what a wonderful job the doc did. Then they brought out the BMX dude who mangled his body and everyone was a little more impressed at the transformation the doctor helped him through. Then the lights dimmed. Spotlights circling the room. His intro music hits. It’s pole through the mouth guy! I didn’t think he survived! Everybody is on their feet clappin their asses off, wiping tears away from their eyes. And the doctor comes on stage with pole guy and they hug and its a huge applause. Doc grabs the mic and says something like “That’s how the fuck we do at UMC Trauma!,” drops that shit like Randy Watson, and walks out of the room with one arm raised and the other around pole guys’ shoulders.

At least that’s how I pictured it.

Thanks Jeff