A woman who lost an arm and a leg after being hit by two trains has explained that she was told she could have died "at least 10 times" on the night of the accident.

Sarah de Lagarde, 44, from London, was traveling home from work on the night of September 30, when she fell between the train and the platform while exiting the train.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain, she explained that she had fallen asleep and missed her intended stop. She rushed to exit the London Underground train at High Barnet station and ended up falling onto the tracks between the train and the platform.

As the train left the platform it left her "bloodied and mangled" and then she was hit by a second train as it arrived at the same platform shortly after the first had left.

After 15 minutes of crying for help, Sarah was found and taken to the Royal London Hospital by air ambulance, where her arm and leg were amputated.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain hosts Charlotte Hawkins and Rob Rinder, Sarah said: "That night I was told I could have died at least ten times, it was quite an accident to have happened but once you survive that, I was absolutely excited to be alive.

"The joy is there so if you think about it my family could have spent Christmas without me, the fact I am alive and that I am here is incredible. Everything has an extra sparkle to it."

The 44-year-old explained that the thought of her family kept her going as she lay on the tracks waiting to be rescued, and aided her during the road to recovery.

"I had to make them a promise when my eight-year-old was crying, speaking to me on FaceTime, I had to promise that I will be home for Christmas," Sarah revealed.

She had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro just weeks before the ordeal, as she told the Camden New Journal: "All I remember is thinking to myself as I was lying in that dirty ditch in High Barnet that I did not climb Mount Kilimanjaro to die here in the cold wet gravel. I am not dying here. No way. I need to be with my daughters."

Over £250,000 ($300,000) has since been raised for Sarah to get a highly advanced prosthetic arm that acts on brain signals, and she has since updated the fundraisers to thank them for their support.

Sarah said on the GoFundMe page: "I’m alive and so so grateful to celebrate Christmas with my family. I thank you for your support and your kind encouragements.

"Next year will be a whole new adventure, hopefully including new well-functioning artificial limbs! I wish you all a fabulous year end, stay healthy and happy."

We wish Sarah all the best in her recovery.

Featured image credit: Ryan McGinnis / Alamy

The last words of a heroic woman who rescued a man who passed out on train tracks last April have been revealed after she died unexpectedly last month.

In April last year, Ashley Montabello jumped onto the railway at Redfern Station, near Sydney's CBD, to rescue a 57-year-old man who fainted and fell off the platform.

The fearless woman, who was not named in media reports at the time, was shown on camera trying her best to save the man as an oncoming train sped towards her - only stopping just inches from where she was on the tracks.

Thankfully, no one was injured during the incident and the man was immediately rushed to the hospital where he soon recovered.

Sadly, though, it has since been revealed that Montabello passed away suddenly in February - less than a year after her act of heroism.

On Sunday, her 60-year-old parner Tommy Cloos told Daily Mail Australia she was "a beautiful person who helped everyone in the community. She was too young to go."

The pair met a decade ago, not long after a 23-year-old Montabello moved from Cessnock, in NSW's Hunter Region, to Sydney.

They had been wanting to start a family together in the not-too-distant future.

Cloos said his longtime partner's last words to him before she died were: "I love you."

"She said she wanted to marry me," he said.

Cloos added that although he wasn't there to see Montabello save the stricken man's life at Redfern Station, he wasn't surprised to learn about heroic act.

"She was on the way to Wolli Creek with a friend when she saw him collapse," he said. That was her instinct - she loved helping people, and she didn't worry about anything. She would give you her left arm if she thought you needed it."

The grieving man said she should have been awarded for the good deed.

"She had more balls than grace, and she had more balls than a lot of blokes," he said.

He had become more and more concerned about Montabello's reliance on drugs, which she had developed in response to her difficult childhood.

Her relationship with her parents eventually broke down and they became estranged before she made her way to Sydney.

Cloos said she would typically disappear whenever she relapsed, but he knew there was something not right when she went AWOL earlier this year.

"At that time she had wanted people to get her [drugs], and then I got worried when she went away for a few days," he said. "I made inquiries and then police found her in bed, dead."

Her official cause of death is yet to be determined by the coroner, but Cloos believes she passed following a "hotshot" overdose, which is a deadly mix of heroin and fentanyl.

Featured image credit: Jennika Argent / Alamy

In a world obsessed with selfies and capturing the perfect moment, some risks are just not worth taking. This tragic story serves as a sobering reminder that life is far more important than any social media post.

It was a sunny day in October 2011 when 15-year-old Essa Ricker, her friend Kelsea Webster, also 15, and Kelsea’s 13-year-old younger sister Savannah made their way to Spanish Fork Canyon in Utah.

"Standing right by a train ahaha this is awesome!!!!” Savannah wrote on Facebook, as she and her friends posed for a selfie beside the train tracks, grinning as a westbound train rolled by.

The excitement on their faces was palpable. But they didn’t realize another train was coming from the opposite direction - its headlights visible in the top-left corner of their selfie.

“They were in their own little world,” recalled John Anderson, the conductor aboard the eastbound Union Pacific train. He and engineer Michael Anderson (who coincidentally share the same last name but are not related) desperately blasted the train’s horn to get the girls’ attention. But the teenagers, focused on their selfie, didn’t flinch.

"We watched in horror as we got closer," John explained to Union Pacific. “We saw them for about 12 seconds until they disappeared from our sight and the train continued moving forward.”

Utah County sheriff's Sgt Spencer Cannon said at the time of the tragedy that the two trains were about three-to-four feet apart, and that the resulting turbulence was powerful enough to throw the girls into unavoidable danger, per the Daily Mail.

By the time the emergency brakes were applied, it was already too late. Trains traveling at 55 mph can take more than a mile to come to a complete stop, and the train was barreling toward the trio at approximately 39 mph. When the train finally stopped, about a quarter mile down the track, John raced back to the scene.

After finding the two 15-year-olds with no pulse, he then saw 13-year-old Savannah - alive but severely injured.

“I hoped she would make it and for some reason I really thought she would,” John said.

He held her hand and tried to comfort her, but despite his hopes, Savannah’s injuries were too severe. She passed away three days later in the hospital, suffering from over a dozen broken bones, internal bleeding, and a severe brain injury.

"We spoke to the doctors today and they informed us that Savvy's brain injuries were too great," Savannah’s mother wrote on her blog, per the Daily Mail. "Even though they've had done everything possible, Savannah will not be able to recover any further.

"We will keep her on life support till the end of the day, but it's time to say goodbye, for now, to an angel that walked among us."

The accident devastated not only the families of the girls but also the train crew. John and Michael - both fathers of teenage daughters - were left reeling from the tragedy. “What happened was very intense and I have to carry it the rest of my life,” said Michael. "I don’t know what John saw that night and I don’t want to know what he saw that night."

The loss of the three young girls was a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly life can change. For the families and friends of Essa, Kelsea, and Savannah, life would never be the same. For the train crew, the memory of that day is something they will carry forever.

In the wake of this preventable tragedy, Kelsea and Savannah’s mother, Jayna Webster, has made it her mission to spread awareness about railroad safety. “The accident that took my daughters' lives was preventable and a good illustration of how close a train can be without hearing it,” Jayna said. “No one should have to go through this, and I hope people will seriously think about the campaign’s rail safety message and share it with their loved ones.”

Union Pacific has since launched several campaigns aimed at promoting rail safety, urging people to stay away from train tracks, especially when taking photos. Their message is simple: no selfie is worth your life.

As Michael put it: “Think about the pain it would inflict on their families if things went wrong. It also hurts the train crew, the first responders, and the many people who love you."

Featured image credit: Union Pacific

A mom made a final Facetime call moments before she was tragically killed by a train.

Jill Parton, 46, lost her life after being struck by a train near Heaton Chapel station in Stockport on June 3, according to The Mirror.

An inquest into Parton's death began on Thursday (August 29) at South Manchester Coroner's Court in Stockport. 

It was revealed that the woman, who was formerly known as Jill Canovan before changing her name following a divorce, died after suffering "extensive traumatic injuries," per the outlet.

Credit: Facebook / Jill Canovan

Police coroner's officer Alison Catlow disclosed to the court that they learned about the tragedy after Parton made a Facetime call to her partner just moments before she was killed.

"On June 3 at 3.59AM, British Transport Police received a call from Network Rail that a freight service train had struck had struck someone close to Heaton Chapel station," Catlow said.

"Following a full search of the tracks, a female was located with injuries inconsistent with life. British Transport Police received a call from Greater Manchester Police to advise that they had received a call from the female's partner, stating that she had Facetimed him whilst on the railway tracks," she added.

It is believed the woman had been involved with mental health services before her death, the inquest heard.

Jill Parton died after being hit by a train at Stockport railway station. Credit: NurPhoto / Getty

Parton lived in Heaton Chapel and was well known in her community as landlady of The Crown pub, near Stockport Viaduct.

Her daughter, Amber, opened up about the moment she found out her "bubbly" mom had died. "I just felt numb. I still don't feel like it's real. It's just been me and my mum every day. I just feel like she's going to walk through the door, like she's not really gone," she told Manchester Evening News.

"Especially the way it happened she promised she would never leave me. She told me a few weeks ago she was struggling and didn't want to be here but she wouldn't leave me. She was my best friend and we used to do everything together," she shared.

The 25-year-old has paid tribute to her beloved mother, telling the outlet that she was an animal lover and a "lovely woman who would do anything for anyone", such as allowing more than 50 homeless people to stay at her home.

"I'd rather go out with my mum than my friends. Anyone I'd speak to would say it wasn't a normal mother-daughter relationship. We used to tell each other everything. Everyone was jealous of our friendship. She never judged me," Amber added.

Credit: Change.org

Maxine Campbell, Parton's friend of more than 30 years, created a Change.org petition to make small railway stations safer at night.

"Our petition seeks the commitment of local authorities to implement security measures at all small rail stations across the UK during the night. This could involve station closures at off-peak hours, installation of proper lighting and surveillance systems, or the implementation of barriers to prevent trespassing. Neglecting these safety precautions is no longer an option; we owe it to our community and to people who have unnecessarily lost their lives," she added.

The full court hearing was adjourned until November 11 at South Manchester Coroner's Court.

Our thoughts are with Parton's family and friends at this time.

Featured image credit: DBenitostock / Getty

A conductor of a train that tragically killed three teens who were posing for selfies has opened up about the horrific ordeal.

In October 2011, 15-year-old Essa Ricker, her friend Kelsea Webster, also 15, and Kelsea’s younger sister, 13-year-old Savannah, ventured to Spanish Fork Canyon in Utah for a day of fun.

The group stopped by the train tracks, posing for selfies with an oncoming train.

"Standing right by a train ahaha this is awesome!!!!” Savannah posted on Facebook, capturing the group’s excitement as a westbound train passed in the background.

Unbeknownst to them, another train approached from the opposite direction, its headlights visible in the corner of their photo.

Engineer Michael Anderson and conductor John Anderson sounded the horn to try and alert the girls that they were standing in harm's way.

Sadly, the girls continued taking selfies, unaware of the danger that was hurtling towards them.

The two trains were only three to four feet apart, creating a powerful turbulence that threw the girls into harm’s way, according to Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon, per the Daily Mail.

Despite the train crew’s efforts, it was too late.

Traveling at 39 mph, the train couldn’t come to a stop in time. By the time the emergency brakes were applied, the train had already passed the girls, eventually stopping nearly a quarter mile down the track. John rushed back to the scene.

Tragically, Essa and Kelsea had already died due to their injuries. Savannah, though alive, was severely hurt.

"We spoke to the doctors today and they informed us that Savvy's brain injuries were too great," Savannah’s mother wrote on her blog, as reported by the Daily Mail. "Even though they've done everything possible, Savannah will not be able to recover any further."

John Anderson, the train conductor, opened up to Union Pacific about the tragic events that took place.

"They were in their own little world," he said.

"We watched in horror as we got closer," John went on. "We saw them for about 12 seconds until they disappeared from our sight and the train continued moving forward.”

As he raced back to where the girls had been hit, he heard Savannah's cries for help.

"I told her everything would be OK and she relaxed a little," said John, who held Savannah's hand until paramedics arrived. "I hoped she would make it and for some reason, I really thought she would."

The night of the accident, John returned home in silence, haunted by the images of the tragedy that had unfolded on the tracks.

The horrifying scene replayed in his mind - finding the lifeless bodies of the young girls.

Overwhelmed, he considered turning to alcohol for comfort, but his wife’s firm advice steered him away from that path.

For John and Michael, the crew members on that fateful day, the tragedy hit particularly hard. Both men had teenage daughters of their own, making the accident all the more personal and painful. Yet, despite experiencing the same event, their reactions were vastly different.

Michael, the engineer at the controls, went home without saying a word to John.

He barely spoke to his wife, who quietly sat beside him, offering support without questions.

The trauma for Michael was profound - he had seen the blonde hair of the girls, their jackets whipping in the wind, and the helpless unfolding of the tragic events.

The memory haunted him, replaying in vivid detail during the day and in relentless nightmares at night.

"What happened was very intense and I have to carry it the rest of my life," Michael reflected.

He never discussed the details of that night with John. "I don't know what John saw that night and I don't want to know what he saw that night."

When the two men eventually returned to work, they were embraced by their railroad family.

Their co-workers stressed that the accident was not their fault, offering support in whatever way they could.

John found some solace in talking to his colleagues, gradually loosening the grip the tragedy had on him.

Michael, however, chose not to speak about the accident, and his fellow railroaders respected his silence.

Recently, Michael has become a peer support volunteer, offering guidance and understanding to train crews who experience traumatic incidents like the one he endured.

When asked what message he would give to teenagers who might consider taking selfies or photos near train tracks, Michael responded: "I'd tell them to stay away from such a dangerous area.

"Think about the pain it would inflict on their families if things went wrong. It also hurts the train crew, the first responders, and the many people who love you."

Featured image credit: Union Pacific