Written by Amanda Coers – When the unthinkable happened just after 5 p.m. in the Humphrey Pete’s restaurant parking lot, a group of strangers worked together to save a man’s life.
Joe Haynes, of Coleman, had come to the restaurant with a friend on Saturday, February 3rd, for dinner. He pulled into he parking lot, got out and noticed his pick-up truck wasn’t parked properly. While standing in front of the vehicle, he asked his companion to straighten out the truck. His friend slid over to the driver’s seat and proceeded to move the truck.
Unfortunately, while they thought the car was in reverse, it was engaged in drive, and the truck lunged forward, pinning Joe between the vehicle and the steps leading to the restaurant.
The weight of the truck crushed Joe’s leg, severing all the nerves.
Seth Doll was looking forward to a night out with his family when he heard the sound of the impact. He was in the parking lot of Humphrey Pete’s, when he turned to see the truck pinning Joe.
“I had some CPR training,” Seth said. “I ran over there without even thinking about it.”
Seth calmed the crowd that had quickly gathered, asking people to call 911, all while holding Joe’s hand.
Dwayne Lyon, a manager at Kwik Kar Oil and Lube, had also ran to help. He asked for a belt from anyone in the crowd so he could apply a makeshift tourniquet. He kept his hands firmly over Joe’s bleeding leg, applying pressure.
Robert Taylor, the manager at Humphrey Pete’s rushed out with towels, and a restaurant staff member gave their belt to Lyon to use for the tourniquet. The quick actions of those strangers helped Joe hang on until emergency services could arrive.
He was care-flighted from the parking lot due to the severity of his injuries and taken to John Smith Peter Hospital in Fort Worth.
“When they finally got to the hospital, the orthopedic surgeon called my brother Daniel to inform us that the leg was not viable and that they needed to amputate,” Joe’s daughter Caitlyn Mair explained.
Joe’s leg was amputated right above the knee.
“He is coherent and remembers what happened and he wants everyone to know that this will not defeat him. He is a strong man,” Caitlyn said. “And he wants to thank all of the first responders and air evac workers. And a special thank you to Dwayne Lyons and Seth Doll because with out those two men he would not be here right now.”
Joe Haynes is a pastor at Leaday Baptist Church in the Lake Ivie area, the President of the 4B Board in Coleman, and is the voice of the Coleman Blue Cats.
A GoFundMe account has been established to help with medical costs as well as recovery needs: gofundme.com/joe-haynes-medical-assistance
