1. Blood Spurts Out Of Clint Malarchuk's Neck After Collision (Ice Hockey)
There are injuries which look horrifying but are superficial. There are injuries which look minuscule but have incredible long term effects on the sufferer. But every so often you get something which combines the two; an injury which looks truly disturbing and could not only end the career of the victim, but their life itself. This is something which happened to professional ice hockey player, Clint Malarchuk in March 1989. Malarchuk's Buffalo Sabres were hosting St. Louis Blues, and, as Steve Tuttle and Uwe Krupp were closing in on Malarchuk's goal, they became entangled and collided with the goaltender. The result of the collision was something which will likely haunt the memories of those who witnessed it for the rest of their days, as Tuttle's skate cut Malarchuk on the neck and severed his jugular vein. Blood began spurting out of Malarchuk's neck as shock took hold of the stadium. There are reports of crowd members fainting, some having heart attacks and several players vomiting on the ice. Malarchuk staggered to his feet and began skating off the rink, claiming that he didn't want his mother to watch him die, given that the game was being broadcast on live TV. Had it not been for Sabres trainer Jim Pizzutelli, a former army medic, Malarchuk would have died, as the trainer pinched the vein until doctors arrived to treat him. Malarchuk lost around one third of his blood, and had he been in the opposite goal, he would have almost certainly died, as that side of the rink did not lead to the locker rooms. The effect the injury had on Malarchuk is up for debate, as he did go on to play for another seven years, although his performances began to decline greatly before his eventual retirement. Malarchuk began suffering problems with alcoholism and nightmares, problems which were exacerbated by the medication he was taking for obsessive-compulsive disorder. In 2008, Malarchuk attempted to take his own life, escaping with a gunshot wound to his chin and mouth. Whether this can be attributed directly to the accident or not is not for certain, but the culmination of misfortunes suffered by Malarchuk since his sickening injury could easily be linked, and if so, it was an injury which has been playing a role in his life for nearly twenty five years. Are there any injuries you think should been included? Any sections you don't agree with? Let us know in the comments section below.
