British Columbia

Andrew MacDonald, crash victim, records his own rescue for YouTube

A B.C. man managed to video record his own rescue from a car crash as a crew cut him free of the wreckage with the Jaws of Life.

MacDonald says he broke an arm, leg, 2 knee caps and both ankles in the crash

Crash victim records his own rescue RAW

10 years ago
Duration 2:39
Andrew MacDonald captures firefighter rescue using Jaws of Life

A B.C. man managed to video record his own rescue from a car crash as a crew cut him free of the wreckage with the Jaws of Life.

In his YouTube post, Andrew MacDonald said he was driving home from a night out in Victoria on Jan. 15 around 5:30 a.m. PT when he "blacked out" and drove straight into a pole near Duncan at 60 km/h.

"I was getting home real late, I was almost home. I guess I just blacked out and the next thing you know, I am in the ditch and the car is all mangled."

When he regained consciousness after the crash, he recorded the rescue crew cutting him out of the 1993 Honda Accord.

"The next thing you know, there are firefighters and stuff cutting the roof off. I still had my phone in my hands, so I called my brother and I was talking to him, so I just decided to start filming."

The sound of a saw ripping through metal and his conversation with the crew can be heard in the video as the crews work to free him.

In his YouTube post, he says he broke his right arm, left femur, both knee caps and both ankles. He also suffered a broken nose from the airbag, he wrote.

"Went for major surgery in Victoria which took total 14 hours over a couple days. Metal plates and screws all over. Spent a month in hospital. Only 1 hot nurse :| But I'm home now. And recovering quickly!" says the post.

MacDonald told CBC News he doesn't drink and RCMP did not recommend any charges in connection with the crash.

He also said he had never before fallen asleep at the wheel. 

He is expected to walk again, but it will take time. For now, he spends most of his time in a bedroom set up to cater to his medical needs.