Man with ‘10 seconds left to live’ after car crash explains method he used which could save your life

If you had seconds to live, what would you do to change the outcome?

That was the experience of one man who survived a life-changing accident in the UK and thought he had just seconds left on Earth.

For many of us, what we might be thinking at that time is pure panic, despair, or even anger at the world.

But instead, this man revealed his outlook to the internet, and it's quite unique considering the situation he was in.

On TikTok, Richard North explained that in 2001, he was involved in a major crash, where he collided with a lamppost.

North recalled hitting an 'oil spill', which caused the lamppost to slice through his car, 'side on', 'split' his pelvis open and smash both femur bones in each leg.

Richard North was in a car crash in 2001 (Getty Stock Images)

He told viewers that during the frantic efforts to get him out of the crash, firefighters were told that they’d need his legs amputated with an acetylene torch to free him from the wreckage if they couldn't pull him out. Thankfully, he was able to be freed as his heart rate steadily slowed down to just 18 beats per minute.

However, as a man with a pre-existing low 'resting heart rate', North said this gave him some hope among the darkness.

He went on to tell viewers that he had to do something unconventional as he sat in his mangled car for an hour as they had attempted to get him out.

North simply counted, and shared that once he got from 10 to one, he'd allow himself to give up and pass away.

But after reaching the end, he decided to count once more. Then again, and again.

Even though he was in pain, there were 'positive thoughts going through my mind', and he kept counting down 10 seconds for another hour until he was stable and safe.

In his video titled, 'How 10 Extra Seconds Can Save Your Life', North went on to talk about how 'taking just 10 extra seconds can make a life-changing difference'.

He kept counting down from 10 (Getty Stock Images)

His positive thinking did just that, as he now urges others to just 'push' through for another 10 seconds when times are tough, and to reframe negativity with a little bit of hope.

Online commenters were left with so much to say following his short video, with some even revealing that it gave them 'hope' amid some trying times.

One person wrote: “Mate honestly you need to write a book called 10 more seconds and talk about everything you’ve learnt.”

Another said: “You actually have no idea how much I needed to hear this right now. in the last two weeks - my husband was diagnosed with bipolar, I found out I've got a brain tumour, and my cat died. Thank you so much.”

Someone else added: “The power of positive thinking! I am so pleased you are here to tell your tale! Have a great 2026!”

A fourth revealed: “Wow! That was mind blowing! How are you now? Your commitment to yourself is incredible! You have given me more hope than the consultants ever have….. and I will count those ten seconds as many times as needed. Thank you so much for this.”