Weird But True

Apparently It is Possible To Sever Fingers In Tug-Of-War When The Rope Snaps

Note to kids: do not wrap tug-of-war ropes around your hands in case the rope breaks, because HOLY SH*T YOU CAN LOSE FINGERS.

Via NBC:

“Students at South El Monte High School were competing against each other in a lunchtime game when the rope snapped, amputating four fingers from a male student’s right hand and four fingers from a female student’s right hand, plus the thumb on her left hand, Los Angeles County supervising fire dispatcher Eddie Pickett told NBC News.

[...]

Pickett said he believed the amputations occurred because the rope was actually wrapped around the students’ hands, instead of just being grasped in their hands. He told NBC News that the extra force caused the rope to snap, which then resulted in the injuries.”

No word yet on whether the severed fingers were reattached, but the two students – one a varsity volleyball player, the other a football player – were immediately taken by ambulance to a trauma center and are with their parents. Also of note: the school has yet to cancel future games of tug-of-war because The Show Must Go On. The game, which took place on Monday, was a part of the school’s Spirit Week. And you don’t mess with Spirit Week, even if it’s a few spirit fingers short.

Basically what we’re saying is that being Thomas DeCoud isn’t such a bad thing right now.

[San Gabriel Valley Tribune, via NBC]

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