Man who was electrocuted by 4,160 volts horrifically watched his 'skin melt'
A man who was electrocuted by 4,160 volts has opened up about the lasting impact of the 'terrifying' experience.
In September 2019, John Pendleton was working as a rock miner on a piece of heavy machinery running off electricity when a high voltage entered his head.
The 36-year-old podcaster and content creator doesn't remember what happened, only realising the severity of the situation after waking up from a coma nine days later.
John had third and fourth-degree burns on 30 percent of his upper limbs, while he also sustained a brain bleed, skull fracture and a traumatic brain injury.
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His wife, Tiffany, 35, was told her husband only had a five percent chance of making it.
The dad-of-two, from West Palm Beach, Florida, said: "I was hit by 4,000 volts - it entered the right side of my head and left on the left side of my neck.
"They had Tiffany with a pastor - there was a high chance I was not going to make it.
"When I got to Jackson Memorial Hospital they said I had a five percent chance of living.
"I coded twice - two times I died.
"If it wasn't for her I know I would not have made it."
John underwent an emergency tracheotomy after aspirating in his lungs.
He was then airlifted to Miami Burn Center, where he spent nine days in a coma.
John continued: "I remember a lot of my coma - it was terrifying.
"My wife was there when I woke up. She said you've been electrocuted.
"I did not remember who Tiffany was.
"She showed me pictures of the kids and I didn't remember them.
"When she'd gone I kept looking at the calendar and I realised it was my wife's birthday and it all came back."
In order to remove the dead skin from the 36-year-old's head, doctors had to perform several surgeries and drill into his skull in the hope it would encourage his tissue to regenerate.
Unfortunately, John's tissue didn't grow back so medics had to perform a skin graft instead.
He said: "They took the muscle from the left side of my back and put it on my head as a flap.
"When I came out my head was in some of the worst pain I have ever had to go through. It was terrible."
John returned home in November 2019 - though his recovery has been a very long one.
He explained: "The first time I really looked at myself in the mirror I had bandages on - I didn't see how bad my head was.
"The right side of my face was burned all the way on my cheek.
"That skin was melting off my face.
"When the bandages came off I could see my own skull."
Tiffany would also have to burn John's head with silver nitrate to stop the keloids from forming.
"She would have to burn my head every other day," he said.
"As my head was healing it would cause keloids. She had to rub it on them to burn them down.
"She had to physically hurt me to help me."
The Florida man has been left with a hole in his skull - and can even feel his brain on one spot on his head.
"My brain injury hasn't stopped me living," John admitted. "I'm grateful I can stand up, walk, talk and move.
"I accepted that is is the way I look.
"I wear my scars with pride."
As well as documenting John's story on social media, the couple have launched the Forgotten Working Class podcast where they talk to other people who have experienced different kinds of trauma.
Callum Jones