Pep rally tug-of-war results in severed hands

[CptSternn]

Football players taken to hospital with ‘blood flying everywhere’

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21281586/

PARKER, Colo. - It was supposed to be a celebration at Lutheran High School southeast of Denver, but the homecoming festivities turned into a tragic accident.

During a pep rally inside the school's gymnasium Friday afternoon, the senior football players took to the court to play a game of tug-of-war with the junior football players.

Witnesses say during the competition, two juniors, who had the rope wrapped around their hands, started to scream.

Sophomore Jenni Kjerstad said it was a chaotic scene inside the school.

"Hearing it was pretty gross. There was like a lot of people screaming and just all blood flying everywhere and just people running out of the room," she said.

Parker Police say the boys suffered severe injuries, partially severing their hands.

"The injuries consisted of partial amputation of the right hand on both players," said Lt. Sam Realmuto of the Parker Police Department.

The boys, Henry Barrett and Mitch Helfer, were rushed to nearby hospitals, where they had to undergo surgery to save their hands.

Barrett is listed in critical condition, while Helfer's condition was not immediately known.

Counselors were brought to the school for students who witnessed the accident or were affected by the event.

"We're praying for all you guys," said Kjerstad.

Lutheran High School says it has postponed all homecoming events until further notice.

[Lapin]

Weren't they warned not to do that hand-wrapping thing? I thought everyone knew how dangerous that was.

[Nevan]

Apparently they either didn't know, or they didn't care about the danger. I'd go insane if something happened to my hands - guess that's a good enough reason to not play these sort of games.

[Crying_Crimson_Tears]

I would never wrap my hands in the rope like that. I learned from getting rope burn back in the 1st grade in gym class.

But I hope they make it out alright.

[Godslayer Jillian]

Holy fuck! I always wrapped my hand with the rope!

[drewsilla]

WTF???! What in the world were they using in tug-of-war, barbed wire? I didn't know regular rope could do something like that!

[Haex]

If I were one of the councilors, don't know what I'd say... Probably aggravate things with something on the fly like; "It's okay... Everything's gonna be alright... They weren't your hands..."

[Crying_Crimson_Tears]

Originally Posted by drewsilla

WTF???! What in the world were they using in tug-of-war, barbed wire? I didn't know regular rope could do something like that!

Ha ha ha.

That made me giggle.

[††BlackRose††]

LOL!

I know I shouldn't laugh at that, but that is sooo stupid!!! :P

[Underwater Ophelia]

It's not really stupid at all.

I still love having tug o' wars.

[Clockwork]

I had no idea that was possible, short of tugging against a tractor.

That must have been so painful...

[insertwittyname]

Eek! I now know that I should never play against like football players or something in tug-o-war. O.o It makes me feel phantom pain

[Tam Li Hua]

I'm not sure whether to be in shock, or to lmao...

You know that's going to make for some great stories to pass down at that high school, though:

"Dude! Did you hear about the kids who lost their hands in a tug of war?!?! They say that every homecoming, you can see ghostly hands appear out of nowhere in the middle of the gym!!"

Or something..

[Rorschach Twin]

Originally Posted by drewsilla

WTF???! What in the world were they using in tug-of-war, barbed wire? I didn't know regular rope could do something like that!

There were probably a lot of other people playing.

[Wormboy]

hahahahahahah! TEN POINTS YA MEATHEAD JOCKS


Wrap it around your entire forearm with the coils far apart, better grip, less pain ^_^