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  Journalist Miles O'Brien injured: "Flesh Wound"

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Author Topic:   Journalist Miles O'Brien injured: "Flesh Wound"
Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 02-25-2014 08:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Many of our readers are familiar with Miles O'Brien, the science correspondent for PBS NewsHour, former CNN science correspondent, and almost shuttle spaceflight participant. Today Miles posted to his website an account of his recent injury:
I wish I had a better story to tell you about why I am typing this with one hand (and some help from Dragon Dictate).

A shark attack would be interesting. An assassination attempt would be intriguing. Skydiving mishaps always make for good copy. An out-of-control quad copter that turns on its master would be entertaining (and would come complete with a grim, potentially viral, video).

No, the reason I am now one-handed is a little more prosaic than those scenarios...

alanh_7
Member

Posts: 1252
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Apr 2008

posted 02-25-2014 09:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for alanh_7   Click Here to Email alanh_7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Jeez, I could not believe it when I read it on your Facebook page Robert. Best wishes to him and good luck.

Ronpur
Member

Posts: 1211
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012

posted 02-25-2014 10:53 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ronpur   Click Here to Email Ronpur     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Wow, reading his blog, and the way he discusses this, I have no doubt Miles will be back. And I have to stop and think about how delicate the human body is, if an accident like this can cause this type of damage.

cspg
Member

Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006

posted 02-26-2014 12:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cspg   Click Here to Email cspg     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
And some wonder why I hate travel. Best wishes and good luck.

JBoe
Member

Posts: 959
From: Churchton, MD
Registered: Oct 2012

posted 02-26-2014 07:03 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for JBoe   Click Here to Email JBoe     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
My best wishes and speedy recovery go out to Mr. O'Brien. I remember how engaged and passionate he was about the space program when he was emceeing a portion of last year's Naval History/Heritage lecture at the Naval Academy. That day was great!

Joel Katzowitz
Member

Posts: 808
From: Marietta GA USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 02-26-2014 07:14 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Joel Katzowitz   Click Here to Email Joel Katzowitz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I read his story on CNN and was shocked. I've met and seen Miles a number of times. Mostly at the KSC press site and at a STS-107 Memorial in Atlanta. He was always approachable, enthusiastic, knowledgable, and had a great sense of humor.

I wish him a speedy recovery.

Jay Chladek
Member

Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007

posted 02-26-2014 10:52 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jay Chladek   Click Here to Email Jay Chladek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I had a bit of a shocked look on my face as well when I read Miles story this morning. I met him at the shuttle and rocket launches I attended at KSC and he always came off as a straight shooter in private as well as on the air. So naturally I was disappointed in CNN when they eliminated his department. But he has moved on to better things.

It is very shocking and sad to have this happen from what initially looked like a seemingly relatively minor injury, but I know Miles will survive and is already considering how to use it to cover a story. He can now cover situations amputees go through from a side that most reporters never will and advances in prosthetic limbs. But still, this is a bit of a life change that he is having to go through and I wish him all the luck in the world.

Besides, if we should ever get back to watching astronauts launch from KSC again, I want to see Miles there covering it whether I am there myself or watching it on the web or television.

dom
Member

Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 02-26-2014 02:54 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dom   Click Here to Email dom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Holy crap!

Initially I only read the first part of his blog and thought he was making a fuss about nothing. Then I went back and read it right to the end and am now stunned to realise he actually lost an arm because of this "minor" accident!

Miles, if you're reading this, keep up the positive spirit shown in the blog. I for one was always disappointed that you never got to make that Shuttle flight but I'm sure you'll be testing bionic limbs in orbit within a decade

mode1charlie
Member

Posts: 1169
From: Honolulu, HI
Registered: Sep 2010

posted 02-26-2014 03:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mode1charlie   Click Here to Email mode1charlie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Beyond awful. All the best to Miles - I'm sure this won't hinder his indomitable spirit.

dabolton
Member

Posts: 419
From: Seneca, IL, US
Registered: Jan 2009

posted 02-28-2014 09:17 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for dabolton     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
He gets my vote as the first one-armed astronaut. Wish him the best on his recovery.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 03-07-2014 11:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Miles O'Brien has traveled the world for the NewsHour, most recently for a series of reports from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. After finishing his reporting there, an injury during another stop in the Philippines became life-threatening and Miles' left arm was amputated. He joins Judy Woodruff to talk about what happened.

alanh_7
Member

Posts: 1252
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Apr 2008

posted 03-08-2014 07:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for alanh_7   Click Here to Email alanh_7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Always a professional. What a great attitude he has. Given his situation it would be natural for anyone to become depressed. But rather than wallow in self pity he is moving forward with his interests and from what he was saying now has another interest to focus on, amputee rehab and artificial limb technology. Give the man a lemon and he makes lemonade out it. As is said what a great attitude he has.

dom
Member

Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 03-08-2014 12:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dom   Click Here to Email dom     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Miles is definitely a class act!

cspg
Member

Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006

posted 03-08-2014 04:01 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for cspg   Click Here to Email cspg     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I surely will think about the Winston Churchill quote. "If you're going through hell, keep going."

Ronpur
Member

Posts: 1211
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012

posted 03-08-2014 09:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ronpur   Click Here to Email Ronpur     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I can just see him doing reports on the technology of artificial limbs next. What a great human being!

lucspace
Member

Posts: 403
From: Hilversum, The Netherlands
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 03-12-2014 02:20 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for lucspace   Click Here to Email lucspace     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Just watched the PBS talk above, which gave me goosebumps. Hat off to Miles! Hoping (and expecting) to see him showing off a state-of-the-art new hand before long.

alanh_7
Member

Posts: 1252
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Apr 2008

posted 03-21-2014 11:14 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for alanh_7   Click Here to Email alanh_7     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It is good to see Miles O'Brien on CNN again as a CNN analyst. I wish it were under better circumstances and not covering the loss of flight 370.

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