# The boy who survived decapitation?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boy-who-survived-decapitation/382162>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 29, 2006, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boy-who-survived-decapitation/382162 "2006-11-29T03:14:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boy-who-survived-decapitation/382162/1 "2006-11-29T03:14:43Z")

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Was watching Discovery Health channel and saw a commercial for a show called something like “Medical Incredible” which claimed next Monday’s episode will feature “the boy who survived decapitation.”

…excusemewhat?

Anyone know what they’re actually going to be talking about?

-FrL-

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**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boy-who-survived-decapitation/382162/2 "2006-11-29T03:40:09Z")

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My guess is that’s the hook to get you to watch, and you find out he was really just _almost_ decapitated. Like, maybe, almost everything except the spinal cord, some key veins and arteries, and vertebrae were cut, so they had to stich up his esophogus, larynx, blood vessels, nerves, skin, etc…

Just a guess, though.

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**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boy-who-survived-decapitation/382162/3 "2006-11-29T03:44:14Z")

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I’ve seen this show. What he had was an internal decapitation – his skull was detached from his spinal column, but he had little if any external injury. (He was hit by a car while riding his bike.)

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**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boy-who-survived-decapitation/382162/4 "2006-11-29T03:56:05Z")

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Jeez.

Wear your frickin’ helmets, everyone!

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**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-boy-who-survived-decapitation/382162/5 "2006-11-29T04:36:00Z")

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I don’t recall if he was wearing a helmet, but it wouldn’t have helped if he was. A helmet doesn’t protect you from (essentially) whiplash.

[Here’s an article about the boy in question.](http://www.defrance.org/artman/publish/article_869.shtml)