New Jersey
New Jersey woman loses leg in train accident, then pulls herself off tracks: 'She's unbelievable'
There’s nothing a Jersey girl can’t do.
That sentiment rang true when a 29-year-old young woman from the Garden State saved her own life after she was hit by a train in early May.
Lisa Fitzgerald was struck by a New Jersey Transit (NJT) train at the Morristown train station in northern New Jersey on May 5. Lisa’s stepmother Stacie Weil-Fitzgerald told Fox News Digital that it was “pouring rain” on the night of the horrific accident, and Lisa was waiting for a train to take her to New York City.
“Freak accident…somehow, she wound up under the train,” Weil-Fitzgerald explained. “Her leg was immediately severed off of her.”
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The mother explained that the train was still coming into the station when Lisa was struck. She was hit by the last few cars of the train.
“She corralled herself up onto the platform and she waited on the tracks,” Weil-Fitzgerald described. “She crawled herself over, poor thing.”
“She was like, ‘I was just so scared that my hair was going to get caught up in there and that they were going to suck [me back in],” she added. “So she waited for the train to stop. She levied herself up on to the platform and she started screaming for help.”
Weil-Fitzgerald told Fox News Digital that some people at the Morristown train station just walked by her and ignored her screams. Lisa wasn’t helped until an NJT worker noticed her.
“Her leg was completely severed. She was bleeding out…she started screaming for help,” Weil-Fitzgerald explained. “And somebody that works for New Jersey Transit, the ticket collector, came over, and he totally freaked out.”
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“She said, ‘You have ten seconds to give me help. And she started screaming, counting, ’One, two, three,’” she described. “And luckily enough, two Morristown Police Department officers heard.”
Lisa tried tourniquetting her own leg with her t-shirt until police officers assisted her. The Morristown Department of Public Safety (MDPS) confirmed the incident in a Facebook post.
“Upon making contact with the female, [an officer] noticed her left leg right above the knee was severed from her body and she was bleeding profusely,” the MDPS statement read. “He immediately applied a tourniquet and tightened it until the bleeding was observed to have stopped.”
Morristown Fire Department (MFD) officials also arrived to assist officers and recover the missing limb. Lisa’s leg was located under the train and given to medical personnel.
“The actions of Officers Hollain, Cerrick and Moran undoubtedly saved this woman’s life,” officials added. “They exhibited unwavering composure which facilitated quick effective decision-making and provided comfort and support to the victim.”
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Weil-Fitzgerald told Fox News Digital that, even in the tragic situation, Lisa’s bright personality shone through.
“She was totally coherent and she was making jokes,” she said. “She was like, ‘Please get me to the hospital. I’m not going to die this way.’”
Lisa was rushed to a hospital and treated, but her leg could not be reattached to her body. A GoFundMe set up by her sister has raised over $77,000 so far.
The tragic incident happened two weeks before Lisa’s 30th birthday party. The birthday plans were scrapped and made into a “glamputation” party instead.
“We decorated the hospital and we had a big celebration for her,” Weil-Fitzgerald said. “And she is in such good spirits. With her GoFundMe, people have just been so supportive and so amazing. That really makes us feel good.”
Lisa, who is one of 8 siblings, has been called the “Miracle of Morristown” for surviving the incident and displaying such resilience and grit through her recovery.
“She’s unbelievable,” the proud mother said. “She has not stopped smiling.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to New Jersey Transit Police.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
New Jersey
Latest Snow Predictions For Friday Night Storm In NJ
NEW JERSEY — Snowfall ranging from a light dusting to up to 2 inches is anticipated for New Jersey Friday night into Saturday, though some uncertainty about how the storm could unfold means that amounts may be higher in areas, according to the latest forecast.
Northwest Jersey is expected to see 1 to 2 inches, with “a slushy coating to up to an inch” of snow predicted for the rest of the Garden State, according to the National Weather Service. Light precipitation will come in during the morning into the afternoon, transitioning to mainly snow overnight.
A Hazardous Weather Outlook has been issued for the northeast corner of the state through Friday night, as travel conditions could become slippery.
Find out what’s happening in Across New Jerseyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“The danger is the snow can quickly erupt and come down at a steady clip in some areas during the afternoon and evening rush hour on Friday in the Northeast,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. This includes the metro areas of New York City and Philadelphia, he said.
Forecasters said there is some uncertainty with this storm depending on how it plays out. The National Weather Service called it “a difficult forecast,” and noted that snowfall amounts could be higher than forecast.
Find out what’s happening in Across New Jerseyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“Conditions around New York City are tricky,” Rayno said. “They can get a coating to an inch or two of snow from the clipper storm, perhaps a bit more if the coastal storm tracks farther west, or they could be in a rip-off zone where nothing to a few flurries occur.”
Saturday marks the first day of winter, and snow will end by late morning, forecasters say. Cold temperatures will linger through the weekend.
Here’s the latest forecast.
North Jersey
Friday: A chance of rain and snow before noon, then snow likely between noon and 1 p.m., then rain and snow likely after 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 36. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Friday Night: Rain and snow, becoming all snow after 11 p.m. Low around 29. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Saturday: A chance of snow before 1 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 14. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 24. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 7.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 28.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.
Tuesday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
Central Jersey
Friday: Rain. High near 39. Northeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Friday Night: Rain and snow, becoming all snow after 2 a.m. Low around 32. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Saturday: A chance of snow before 1 p,m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 33. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 14. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 26. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 8.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 31.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38.
South Jersey
Friday: Rain. High near 42. North wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Friday Night: Rain before 10 p.m., then rain and snow likely between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., then a chance of snow after 4 a.m. Low around 31. Northwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Saturday: A chance of snow before 1 p.m. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 36. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 14. Northwest wind around 10 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 27. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 7.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 34.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40.
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New Jersey
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New Jersey
Exclusive: Video shows emergency response to deadly train collision in New Jersey
Thursday, December 19, 2024 10:44PM
Dan Krauth has more on the emergency response.
BURLINGTON COUNTY, New Jersey (WABC) — An exclusive video obtained by Eyewitness News shows the emergency response to a large train collision in New Jersey in October.
A NJ Transit train hit a tree on the tacks, killing the train operator and injuring 23 others.
For the first time, we are seeing the emergency response to what happened.
The train was about 10 miles south of Trenton when it stuck a large tree.
What happened after was captured on police body camera video.
It shows what officers from Mansfield Township first encountered when they arrived on the scene on October 14th.
———-
DO YOU NEED A STORY INVESTIGATED? Dan Krauth, Kristin Thorne, and the 7 On Your Side Investigates team at Eyewitness News want to hear from you! Call our confidential tip line 1-877-TIP-NEWS (847-6397) or fill out the form BELOW.
Copyright © 2024 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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