
Family reveals horror new detail after husband is sucked into hospital MRI machine by his huge 20lb chain and killed
Keith McAllister, 61,
was undergoing an MRI scan
at a clinic on New York's Long Island on Wednesday afternoon.
4
Keith McAllister, 61, died after being pulled into an MRI machine by his necklace
Credit: Enterprise
4
Keith's family say he was stuck to the machine for an hour
Credit: Enterprise
4
His wife Adrienne Jones-McAllister recounted the freak accident to local media
Credit: 12 News Long Island
Keith's wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, was at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury for a scan of her knee when the incident unfolded.
In a
She wrote: "While my mother was laying on the table, the technician left the room to get her husband to help her off the table.
"He forgot to inform him to take the chain he was wearing from around his neck off when the magnet sucked him in.
Read more world news
"My mother and the tech tried for several minutes to release him before the police were called.
"He was attached to the machine for almost an hour before they could release the chain from the machine."
The grieving daughter went on to explain that Keith suffered several heart attacks after the incident.
She added that, despite reports claiming Keith wasn't authorised to be in the room, it was the technician who brought him in.
Most read in The US Sun
Wife Adrienne previously told
News
12 Long Island that she asked the technician to bring her husband to hep her get up from the table.
Keith was wearing a large metallic chain around his neck - which turned into a "torpedo" and caused him to be pulled off his feet and into the machine.
Man who died after being sucked into MRI machine 'was brought into room by technician' before 'going limp in wife's arms
Adrienne said she saw the scanning device "snatch him" as he approached her.
"At that instant, the machine switched him around, pulled him in, and he hit the MRI," she said, adding, "He went limp in my arms, and this is still pulsating in my brain."
Adrienne recounted the agonising moments when she told the technician to turn off the machine and call 911.
She revealed that it was not the first time the pair had visited Nassau Open MRI, even claiming that the staff member had previously discussed Keith's huge chain.
Keith used the chain regularly for weight training, his wife said.
The powerful magnetic field generated by an MRI machine can pull metal objects in with great force.
For this reason, patients are asked to remove metal items and change their clothes before having MRI scans or going near machines.
Dr. Payal Sud, a doctor from North Shore University Hospital, told
"If this was a chain that was wrapped around the neck, I could imagine any kind of strangulation injuries that could happen. Asphyxiation, cervical spine injuries."
North Shore says that MRI machines can be especially dangerous for people with oxygen tanks, in wheelchairs or even those wearing magnetic jewelry.
4
Keith wore the chain regularly during weight training, his wife said
Credit: Enterprise

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
I went from feeling constantly horny to my boyfriend thinking I hated him – the truth was terrifying
LEANNE Jones and her partner, Adam, used to have no issues in the bedroom department - they loved spending hours between the sheets. But now, Leanne, 42, feels more like 'Grandpa Joe' than her usual, energetic and 'horny self'. Adam, 40, initially suspected she no longer loved him, but the true cause was far more devastating. Advertisement 16 Leanne Jones says a debilitating brain condition took away her sex life Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms 16 The mum-of-two with her partner Adam and one of her children Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms 16 Grandpa Joe's character in Willy Wonka famously spent 20 years lying in bed Credit: Alamy 'I went from being very highly sex driven to feeling like Grandpa Joe from Willy Wonka,' the mum-of-two, from South Wales, tells Sun Health. The character, played by Jack Albertston in the 1971 film and David Kelly in Tim Burton's 2005 remake, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which was based on Roald Dahl's book of the same name, is famous for lying in bed, unable to move, for 20 years. Advertisement 'My partner took it personally at first, as many would, and thought I didn't love him anymore,' Leanne adds. 'I was left heartbroken. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get back my once horny self.' The former legal secretary found herself struggling to get aroused and when they did have sex, she wasn't able to climax as usual. It turned out to be due to a 'debilitating' brain condition that she had been diagnosed with years prior. Advertisement It also had a profound impact on her mobility and overall wellbeing. 'I've gone from walking three miles every day to work and running 5k to almost being bedridden,' Leanne says. MS is an incurable condition that is more typically seen in women, striking between the age of 20 to 50 - though there are other risk factors too. I was a dancer for years but ended up in wheelchair - now I can only walk in high heels, it's scary It affects the brain and spinal cord, with the immune system attacking the protective covering of nerve cells. The symptoms vary hugely; some can be incredibly disabling, and others less obvious. Advertisement In the lead up to her diagnosis, Leanne had been experiencing numbness in her right knee during her running and personal training sessions. At times, it would give way completely. While alone it might not have rung alarm bells, Leanne also had 'crippling' fatigue, where she was unable to move off the sofa, and partial hearing loss. Knowing something wasn't quite right, she spoke to her GP and was booked in for an MRI scan. It was March 2020 - the start of the Covid pandemic - so Leanne wasn't able to see her doctor in person. Instead, she received a phone call to say she had MS, and it changed her life completely. Advertisement It's such a debilitating and lonely life. I want people to know that even though it feels like a prison sentence, it's not Leanne Jones Leanne says: 'It was a relief that I wasn't making it up and I could now have a name for it and treat it.' She has what's known as remitting relapse MS in which her symptoms come and go, with periods of worse symptoms followed by bursts of recovery. But day to day, the mum experiences issues with her speech, vision and mobility, and has Leanne was not with Adam at the time of her diagnosis and was 'forced' to take early retirement. 'I don't think people understand the impact on your mental, emotional and physical health of being told you can't work anymore,' she says. Advertisement 'Losing the role of being the breadwinner for my family was very hard to come to terms with. 'And of course, when it impacts your enjoyment in the bedroom and intimacy with your partner, it is very difficult.' 16 Leanne's multiple sclerosis symptoms started with issues with her speech, vision and mobility Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms 16 She also had extreme fatigue, restless legs and seizures Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms 16 One of Leanne's seizures caught on camera Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms Advertisement 16 The mum, from South Wales, with her sons in May 2022 Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms Leanne knew about her MS before meeting Adam in 2023, though she had no idea it would affect her After meeting the carpenter, they had an intimate relationship, but this soon dwindled. Leanne's GP confirmed her MS was likely the cause. In 2024, Leanne was also diagnosed with Like MS, there is no cure. Advertisement To find others suffering like her, the mum turned to TikTok where she found more people who have seen their sex life fall off a cliff thanks to MS. What is multiple sclerosis (MS)? Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex condition that affects the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord. It's an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the protective coating (myelin) around nerve fibres. This disrupts the flow of electrical signals and causes a range of symptoms that can vary wildly from person to person. The good news? MS isn't a death sentence, and with advances in treatment, many people live full and active lives. In the UK, over 150,000 people are living with MS, and around 7,100 new cases are diagnosed each year, according to It's typically diagnosed in people in their 20s and 30s, with women three times more likely to develop it than men. Despite its challenges, many with MS find strength and resilience they never thought possible. Common symptoms of MS are: Fatigue: Not your average tiredness—this is bone-deep exhaustion. Vision problems: Blurred or double vision, or even temporary vision loss. Numbness and tingling: Often in the face, arms, or legs. Muscle weakness: Making everyday tasks feel like climbing a mountain. Mobility issues: Trouble walking or balancing. Cognitive difficulties: Memory lapses or a 'foggy' brain. Spasms and stiffness: Muscles that just won't cooperate. Bladder and bowel problems: A less glamorous but common challenge. MS is unpredictable—you might have periods of remission where symptoms vanish, followed by flare-ups when they return. This 'on-again, off-again' nature can be frustrating and means people can be in anticipation of a flare. While there's no cure yet, treatments like disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), physiotherapy, and lifestyle changes can help manage symptoms and slow progression. Leanne says: 'I've heard from so many sufferers that have told me their partners have left them over it as they didn't realise MS could cause this. 'They simply assumed their partner didn't find them sexually attractive anymore. 'Because of the nerve damage to the brain and spine, the signals needed for arousal, sensation and orgasm are no longer there. It creates a disconnect. 'For us women, there's issues with low sex drive, lack of sensation and lubrication and pain. Advertisement 16 In 2024, she was also diagnosed with functional neurological disorder Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms 16 Leanne shares her experiences, including seizures, on social media Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms 16 Leanne had no idea multiple sclerosis would affect her sex life Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms 'There's been many times my partner could've walked away, but he says we are a team. 'He knows the severe change is because of my MS and the full extent of life with it. Advertisement 'I spoke with an MS neurologist in front of him about the issues we were having in the bedroom and he understood that it's not him, it's my brain. 'Now, we have sex a few times a week – but he knows when not to try his luck. 'Adam has helped me realise it's nothing to do with me or him, it's just my condition so it's mind over matter.' 16 Leanne, who volunteers at her local hospital, was having weekly injections to help manage her symptoms, as well taking disease-modifying medication. Advertisement Now, though, she has decided to go completely drug-free in a bid to combat the conditions naturally. The mum also gives those suffering a voice about how it impacts people's dating lives through her social media. She adds: 'I had a number of male sufferers message to thank me for discussing it as a few of them had lost partners over it. 'They find it hard to talk about due to pride or shame. This is why it's so important to raise awareness. 'It's such a debilitating and lonely life. Advertisement 'I want people to know that even though it feels like a prison sentence, it's not. 'You've got to work with it, not against it, as there's so much to live for.' What is functional neurological disorder? FUNCTIONAL neurological disorder is a 'brain network disorder,' according to UK charity FND Action. The brain is unable to send and receive messages correctly, affecting all parts of the body. Some symptoms, particularly if not treated, can result in substantial disability. Treatment includes 'retraining' the brain with specialised physiotherapy, distraction techniques and psychotherapy. But some 70 per cent of sufferers have the same or worse symptoms ten years later. The exact causes of FND are unknown. Symptoms can appear suddenly after a stressful event or with emotional or physical trauma, including a head injury, migraine, surgical procedure or vaccination. It can occur as a result of several factors working together, for example, the brain shutting down after perceiving a threat or trying to avoid pain as well as a genetic vulnerability to the condition. It is estimated that up to 120,000 people in the UK have FND, and there are a further 10,000 new cases per year, according to The Brain Charity. But most people have never heard of it. 16 'I've gone from walking three miles every day to almost being bedridden,' Leanne says. Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms 16 Leanne and Adam now have sex a few times a week Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms 16 She often has leg spasms which make her whole body shake Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms Advertisement 16 The brain scan which revealed Leanne's MS (as shown by white spots) Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms 16 Leanne having treatment in hospital Credit: Jam Press/@leanne_fighting_ms


The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
I was doing face mask when I noticed swollen eye before shock diagnosis & had to have it REMOVED
A MUM suffering with a swollen eye was forced to have it REMOVED after cancer pushed it out of the socket - leaving her with a bulging eyeball. Sara McGarvey first noticed her right eye was swollen when she did a face mask one night in January 2023. Advertisement 4 Sara McGarvey pictured with her son Michael Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 4 She was diagnosed with a rare cancer in 2023 Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media The senior social worker brushed it off until discussing the symptoms with concerned colleagues the next day who pushed her to visit an eye clinic. After a CT scan, MRI scan and two biopsies, Sara was diagnosed with undifferentiated round cell By that point the tumour, which was located in the top corner of her right eyelid, had caused Sara's eyeball to 'turn sideways' and bulge further and further out of her head. The mum-of-one feared 'she was going to die' and underwent five gruelling rounds of chemotherapy in a desperate attempt to shrink the cancer. Advertisement READ MORE IN HEALTH After the chemotherapy was unsuccessful, Sara had surgery to remove her right eyeball, as well as the tumour, in November 2023. To ensure that the cancer had been removed completely, Sara underwent seven weeks of proton beam therapy at The Christie Hospital in Manchester in February 2024. The 36-year-old rang the bell to signify the end of her treatment on April 12th 2024 and received the news that she was cancer free in May 2024. Sara credits her colleagues with 'saving her life' as they pushed her to visit the eye clinic. Advertisement Most read in Health Now cancer-free for more than a year, Sara is encouraging anyone who finds a lump or anything unusual to visit their doctor as soon as possible and not wait to get it checked. 'GRIM' Sara, from Co Down, "It got progressively worse between January and April [2023]. It didn't necessarily move out, it kind of turned. "It got progressively worse and it took six months to get an actual diagnosis. Advertisement "For sarcoma that's relatively fast - people wait years for a diagnosis and by that stage it's too late. "I remember lying there in silence in the bath one night. I turned off the taps and it was just quiet. There was no noise - I didn't put any music on. "I remember just saying 'please don't let me die, please don't let me die'. "At the time the chemo wasn't attacking the tumour, it wasn't getting smaller and it wasn't getting bigger, so they decided that surgery would be the best option." Advertisement On November 30 2023, Sara underwent surgery to have the tumour removed, along with her right eye. Sara said: "At the time I didn't care that my eye was going to be removed, I just wanted rid of the cancer. "I just needed it to be gone. "My son was two at the time so to see me one day with two eyes and then the next day with one was probably quite difficult for him, but he managed it extremely well. Advertisement "I'm very lucky, I've had my son, my husband Andrew, and my mum Mary, who's a nurse - if it wasn't for her then it would have been so much more difficult." 'INDESCRIBABLE RELIEF' Sara says that being there to see her son Michael McGarvey, now aged four, grow up was her main concern and she was 'overjoyed' when she was given the all-clear in May 2024. Sara said: "I can't even describe it. It's indescribable relief. "I think for me a lot of my fear and anxiety was around Michael. Advertisement "When I was first diagnosed, my head went to protecting him and making sure that he was impacted as little as possible by what was going to happen next. "The fact that I could just go home and hug him and kiss him and play with him and be happy and healthy and watch him grow up and go to primary school. "These are all of the things that for a period of time I didn't think I was going to be able to do. "I was overjoyed, I was excited about what the future held." Advertisement 'SAVING HER LIFE' Sara credits her colleagues with 'saving her life' - and each year on the anniversary of a diagnosis she thanks them over text for pushing her to go for the check-up. Sara said: "If my friends at work didn't make me go to be seen [at the eye clinic] things could have been so different. "The sarcoma had the potential to grow very quickly and spread very quickly and if it wasn't caught when it was caught, the outcome would have been very much worse. "Every year on the anniversary of my diagnosis I text them to say thank you. Advertisement "They did absolutely save my life, 100 per cent, it was massive." WHAT IS UNDIFFERENTIATED ROUND CELL SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA? Undifferentiated round cell soft tissue sarcoma is an extremely rare form of sarcoma. It can start almost anywhere inside the soft tissue of the body including muscles, fat, blood vessels, ligaments and tendons. The most common symptom is a lump somewhere on your body which is usually solid to the touch, painless and hard to move around under the skin. Soft tissue sarcomas are usually treated using surgery and radiotherapy. Sara, who is now in the process of seeing a specialist doctor to have a prosthetic eye fitted, is encouraging anyone else who finds a lump to go to their doctor. Sara said: "When I had the surgery to remove it I didn't want Michael to be afraid of how I looked. "They used the top eyelid to close it over but then in February it started to open, which is why I now have a big hole. Advertisement "I have my first plastics appointment next week. "Initially I was told I might not be eligible for a prosthetic but the consultant thinks they can make me one, which is exciting. "Michael starts primary school this year in September so being able to look normal for him going to school is something I'm really, really excited about. "If anyone has a lump I'd say see a doctor straight away. Don't wait because I would have waited and then it could have been so much worse." Advertisement 4 Sara is now in the process of seeing a specialist doctor to have a prosthetic eye fitted Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media 4 The cancer pushed her eye out of the socket Credit: Kennedy Newsand Media


Irish Examiner
25-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Throat cancer: "I noticed the lump while swallowing"
Almost 800 new cases of head and neck cancer are diagnosed in Ireland each year, according to the National Cancer Registry 2024 Report. They include cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, salivary glands, nasal cavity, sinuses, and middle ear. Because more than two-thirds of patients are diagnosed with late-stage head and neck cancer, Ireland's five-year survival rate is just 48%. Professor Sinéad Brennan, a radiation oncologist at St Luke's and St James's Hospitals in Dublin and chair of the Head and Neck Cancer Disease-Specific Subgroup at Cancer Trials Ireland, aims to improve this statistic by educating people on the early warning signs. 'Through prevention and early detection, we could prevent so many more people from dying of head and neck cancer,' she says. 'If you've got a lump in your throat that doesn't go away, a persistent sore throat, trouble swallowing or hoarseness that goes on longer for three or four weeks, pay a visit to your GP.' It was a lump in his throat that prompted 58-year-old Mike Freeney from Castleconnell, Co Limerick, to visit his doctor in 2022. 'It was a small lump that made swallowing not difficult but different,' says the head of business development in Ireland for construction company Kiely Brothers and former ultra runner. 'My wife had also heard a crackle in my breath, and while I was out running with my training group, I'd started finding it hard to keep up. My breathing seemed to be off.' Blood tests, CAT, PET, and MRI scans followed. Freeney was diagnosed with throat cancer and started treatment. He did 35 radiation sessions in the Mater Private in Limerick and six chemotherapy sessions in University Hospital Limerick (UHL). The gruelling treatment took a toll on his body. 'I was unable to speak for three weeks, and that was hard for a non-stop talker like me,' he jokes. 'Even now, I have to be careful. My voice gets croaky if I talk a lot, so I make sure to keep drinking water to prevent that from happening.' Mike Freeney: 'When I'm alone with the pain in the darkness, I can't help but worry. And when I'm due to go for a scan or waiting for results, I feel a sense of dread. But that's a mental thing I have to get over.' Picture: Brendan Gleeson Eating was even more challenging as the radiation caused painful sores in his mouth, and for weeks around the time of the treatment, all he could bear to eat were high-calorie shakes. Although he can now eat normally, his taste buds have been permanently altered. 'I used to like chocolate, but now I think it tastes horrible,' he says. 'And I still have difficulty eating dry food. I need to add gravy or sauce, otherwise I can't eat it.' One of the side effects of radiation is that it can cause muscles to become stiff and sore. 'It made my whole body feel tight,' says Freeney. 'I worked with a cancer rehabilitation physiotherapist to help me deal with it.' Like all cancer patients, he also underwent regular scans to monitor his recovery. The throat cancer disappeared following the initial treatment, but a year or so later, a cancerous growth unrelated to this throat cancer was found on his spine, which required further radiation treatment. 'That seemed to work, but when I went back for another scan in November 2023, there were small cancerous nodules in my lungs and two more small ones on my spine,' he says. 'So I did 10 more rounds of radiation and started immunotherapy. As of August 2024, my throat, lungs and spine are clear of cancer, and everything seems stable.' He acknowledges that he is still reeling from the physical and psychological aftermath of his experience. Physically, he regularly experiences pain in the parts of his body that were treated with radiation and he has ongoing physiotherapy and attends yoga classes to help deal with it. There are times when the pain makes him worry the cancer is back. 'Especially if I'm lying awake at night,' he says. 'When I'm alone with the pain in the darkness, I can't help but worry. And when I'm due to go for a scan or waiting for results, I feel a sense of dread. But that's a mental thing I have to get over.' He attended counselling in the oncology support centre in UHL and found it very helpful. It taught him to reassure himself with the thought that he has already overcome cancer more than once. 'I tell myself that it's not necessarily a death sentence if the cancer comes back and that I'm doing what I can to keep my body healthy by eating well and exercising,' he says. 'I can no longer go on ultra runs and I miss the challenge of them but I'm getting into cycling instead.' Freeney also goes to the doctor whenever he genuinely thinks there might be something wrong. He advises everyone else to do so, too. 'Listen to your own body and advocate for your health,' he says. 'Ask questions and don't stop asking them until you get proper answers.' Professor Sinead Brennan Brennan adds that there are other things we can all do to reduce our risk of head and neck cancer. 'The HPV virus causes a subset of head and neck cancer that occurs in the tonsils or back of throat, and the National Cancer Registry shows there are approximately 200 cases of these cancers every year,' she says. 'The HPV vaccine that is given to boys and girls in first year of secondary school will help prevent these cancers as well as cervical, vulval, vaginal, penile, and anal cancers. All teenagers should be encouraged to get this vaccine.' Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption are two of the other major risk factors. 'If people smoke less and reduce their alcohol intake, they can significantly reduce their risk of head and neck cancer,' says Brennan. As for Freeney, he is now focusing on the positive impact of his cancer experience and not on the negative. 'The mental impact of cancer is tough but if you get through it, it can make you stronger,' he says. 'It has made me more appreciative of what I have. It has made me want to really live my life.' Sunday, July 27, is World Head and Neck Cancer Day. It's a day devoted to raising awareness of these cancers, their risk factors and the importance of early detection. If you have questions or concerns about cancer, contact the Irish Cancer Society Support Line on 1800 200 700 or visit