A Colorado tree worker miraculously survived a freak accident with a wood chipper that left him losing both legs minutes into his first day on the job.

John O’Neill, 33, fitted with a court-ordered ankle monitor, was throwing tree branches into the machine when one caught the tracking device and dragged him into the chipper, according to the Denver Post.

O’Neill, who had battled addiction and is now sober and excited about his new job, had both legs amputated above his knee following the life-altering accident at 10:18 a.m. on Sept. 24.

“It’s beyond a miracle that John is still with us, and he’s fighting harder than ever,” O’Neill’s friend George Safir wrote on GoFundMe. “Our friend has always been pretty reckless and living life on the edge! All while doing so, being a warrior in life.”

Only 15 minutes into the workday in Longmont, O’Neill grabbed a fish hook-shaped branch and threw it into the machine.

The end of the branch caught onto O’Neil’s ankle monitor and dragged his leg into the spinning blades where it began cutting into his toes, foot, ankle and legs.

None of O’Neill’s coworkers immediately heard his cries for help as they were all wearing ear protection.

“It took a minute before my coworkers realized what was happening,” O’Neill told the outlet.

As the machine continued to eat into him, O’Neill began believing his time was ending.

“Something happened in my brain to where I realized I was in fear for a lot more than just losing my leg or my foot,” O’Neill said.

“The pain was very — it was not there almost,” he recalled. “I didn’t really feel the pain as much as I knew I was in trouble. It went from a fight for my limb to a fight for my life, very fast.”

O’Neill described the accident as “something that looked like what you see in movies,” as he saw skin, bones, muscle and a lot of blood coming out of his legs.

O’Neill said remained as calm as possible to keep his heart rate down.

“I didn’t freak out, I did stay calm,” O’Neill said. “My coworker said I was very cognitive throughout the whole thing.”

A coworker pulled him out as the blade reached his midthighs and O’Neill grabbed a nearby rope for a makeshift tourniquet.

He faded in and out of consciousness but credits his coworkers for keeping him alive using sternum rubs.

Police arrived at the scene and secured actual tourniquets on the remainder of O’Neill’s legs before he was rushed to a local hospital where he was flown to St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, just outside of Denver.

During the helicopter ride, O’Neill “technically died,” he told the outlet, saying his heart stopped.

He “firmly believes” the ankle monitor design is why he couldn’t free himself from the wood chipper.

Doctors amputated the remainder of O’Neill’s mangled legs and needed to give him 15 pints of blood.

“They essentially replaced all the blood in my body,” he said.

When he woke up in his hospital room the next day, O’Neill called his mother who was left “in such a panic” she had to be admitted into the hospital for three days, according to the Denver Post.

Among the many people and organizations O’Neill has reconnected with during his hospitalization is “the Phoniex,” the non-profit that creates “sober events and activities” to help those battling addiction.

With the non-profit, O’Neill looks to continue his volunteer work where he will lead rock climbing and CrossFit events with the help of adaptive specialists.

“This is uncharted territory and I can’t wait to dive into it because I feel like life is going to be more exciting. I’ve always enjoyed a challenge,” he said.

O’Neill is “crushing his recovery faster than anyone,” Safir said. “John has very high spirits and is ready to get back to some rock climbing.”

For the past two seasons, the Colorado Avalanche searched for an answer to its second-line center question.

When the 2024-25 campaign begins Wednesday night in Las Vegas, that spot in the lineup will no longer be a problem. Casey Mittelstadt is not only a solution, he could be a critical part of how the Avs navigate early uncertainty and why this club could make another run at a Stanley Cup once the roster is whole.

“I think he’s going to have a great year,” Avs star Nathan MacKinnon said. “He looks awesome. He’s a lot more comfortable around the room and on the ice. I think the sky’s the limit for him. There’s a lot of untapped potential.”

After Nazem Kadri left for Calgary following the Stanley Cup run in 2022, the Avs spent the next season and two-thirds looking for his replacement. Not having a guy who could anchor the second line behind MacKinnon was a significant flaw on a roster that didn’t have many.

Then, a bold move. Colorado traded Bo Byram, the best young player in the organization and the No. 4 pick in the 2019 draft, to Buffalo for Mittelstadt. He was also a top-10 pick, and like Byram hadn’t fulfilled all of his immense potential.

Mittelstadt played well upon arriving and looked at home during his first taste of Stanley Cup Playoffs hockey. The Avs locker room isn’t for everyone, but he was quickly embraced.

“Just coming for the playoffs, he didn’t have that in Buffalo, so he was just getting his feet wet,” said Jonathan Drouin, another new guy last season who found his place. “I think he did a great job. (Mittlestadt) works hard off the ice, he puts in the extra time on the ice after practice. I think it’s going to do wonders for him (to be here). He’s a hell of a player.”

With a new three-year, $17.25 million contract in tow, Mittelstadt is now part of Colorado’s core. When the Avalanche acquired him, general manager Chris MacFarland and coach Jared Bednar spoke of there being more for him to unlock in his game.

He set a career high with 59 points two seasons ago, and a new personal best with 18 goals last year.

“The main thing I want to work towards is being a very consistent player,” Mittelstadt said. “I think I’ve done a decent job with it over the last couple of years, but there’s obviously room for improvement. I feel like I’m in the right spot to do that. You see what the leaders do here and how they take care of themselves.

“I got here and thought I had it a little bit figured out, and then you learn a lot from these guys. I’m going to continue to try and learn and hopefully get better.”

The Avs generally like players to fit into one of two buckets offensively — either add speed and play fast, or help retain possession of the puck (or both, with guys like MacKinnon). Then there are “non-negotiables” as Bednar calls it, which pertain to the work on the defensive side.

Mittelstadt’s skillset looked like an instant fit for Colorado, particularly in the latter part of the offensive identity.

“His playmaking ability with the puck is honestly among the best I’ve ever seen,” Avs forward Logan O’Connor said. “He can stickhandle in a phone booth. It’s crazy impressive. For him, I think getting the end of last year and playoffs under his belt, it gives him less of a learning curve. You can see it out there with his playmaking and his 200-foot game. He’s a great asset to have.”

While Mittelstadt’s role with the Avs is clear, who is going to play with him is not. Eventually, it could be two of Artturi Lehkonen, Valeri Nichushkin and Gabe Landeskog, but none of them are currently available.

If Bednar decides to keep Drouin, MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen together on the top line, the Avs will need Mittelstadt to anchor an uncertain second trio. He’s also likely to start the year filling in as the net-front guy on the top power-play unit.

The guy who was a potential answer to a long-standing question is now someone the club is going to need a lot of from. There could be some added pressure there, beyond just settling in with a team that has Stanley Cup aspirations.

“I don’t really look at it that way,” Mittelstadt said. “I rely on the fact that I worked really hard this summer and have for a while now. I’m going to put my trust in that hard work and play the best I can.”

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Originally Published: October 8, 2024 at 5:45 a.m.