My brother owns a vending business and was delivering a 500 LB soda vending machine to a new customer by himself on Thursday. With the lift gate up, he unbuckled the machine from the back of his truck and pushed the machine (on a dolly) to towards the gate.

Being it was raining and the lift gate was wet, the machine started to slide off the gate. As he jumped off the truck to stabilize the machine, he tripped and fell. That is all he remembers.

After he fell, and knocked himself out, the machine fell on his upper torso and face. Luckily he was delivering the soda machine to an EMT station and the EMTs saw the accident. The EMTs put him in their ambulance and rushed him to the hospital.

Injuries include cut on the back of his head from the initial fall, 3 broken ribs, broken collarbone, Jaw broken on both sides (tape around his jaw in the video is holding his jaw in place until he enters surgery perhaps on Tues next week), cheekbone shattered, and 2 black eyes.

None of the injuries are life threatening so we are very glad for that. He's resting comfortably right now with some of morphine to ease the pain.


Warning: Disturbing video of my brother in the hospital

Jim in the Hospital

He's lucky to be alive! There are several (if not a few hundred) deaths each year from toppling vending machines. I notice now that most machines have some sort of bracket affixing them to the wall.

Glad all is not worse. Thats funny that you used the word "Ginted" and we all know what you mean

I don't want to laugh, because it's anything but funny...

But if "ginted" becomes a common phrase, I'm going to giggle like a school girl every time I see him.

Taking cover might be a wiser choice

Ouch. Hope he has a speedy recovery

Reminds me of the Darwin Award, for a guy who tried to get a free coke out of a machine. He toppled it over and killed himself.

Wasn't that a CSI episode?

Apparently its more common than you would think.

Darwin Award

Isn't everything a CSI episode?

WOW... glad he's going to be ok.

I guess you're right. Do they have CSI: Canadian Mounties yet?

Crap that's funny!

Just like you giggled at Valeri I'm sure...

They prob do, but I can't remember what's it's called............We have our own version of Cops....it's called Serve and Protect.......mainly the mounties arresting drunks in the Vancouver area

I hope Gint doesn't take offense at my reference. Hopefully this will always remind us to be extra careful working under and around large heavy machines. After Gint's accident, I don't go under a car without 2 or 3 stands in place just in case one fails.

It makes me sick seeing my bro looking like this and at this point I'm too concerned about his health to be pissed at him that he did something that put him in a position that could have easily killed him.

BTW, this is the second time he broke his collarbone. First time he was playing softball and dove for a ball and rolled. If I recall correctly, they gave him some good drugs that time too.

Simpsons did it

At least it's not like getting "Burked"

Wow, glad he got some quick help. I hope he has a speedy recovery.