Sarah Stott, 22, a barmaid at the Irish Embassy Pub downtown on Bishop was the victim of a terrible accident on the way home to Verdun at about 2:30 a.m. on December 8.
She was hit by a train in the industrial wasteland near Bridge and Wellington in the Point, still a 20-minute walk to the border of Verdun.
A crowdfunding effort has thus far raised $18,000 and the mystery of why she was on the tracks on a bitterly cold night nowhere near anything, was addressed, on the site sort of.
The family wants her to get a high-tech device that will return some sort of perambulatory abilities. I asked my prostheses expert Matthew Bradshaw about such situations. He told me:
Having looked at maps for a long time I still don't see what a popular shortcut in that area.
There's no shortcut to Verdun on that route that I can fathom.
If a reader wants to set me straight on what that popular shortcut would be, I'd be most fascinated to know.
Nonetheless the initial speculation of cabbie malfeasance raised elsewhere seems to at least have been addressed. Some people who discussed this unconfirmed report on Facebook have speculated that the taxi driver might have been negligent for dropping the young woman off in such a spot where she clearly did not live.
She is hoping to get some sort of high-quality prosthetic limbs when she moves back home to Ottawa.
"Her left leg is gone just below the knee and the right leg completely removed along with her hip bone," according to the note on the funding page.
She was spotted by another train conductor about four hours later in a pool of blood and suffering severe frostbite to her hands..
A crowdfunding effort has thus far raised $18,000 and the mystery of why she was on the tracks on a bitterly cold night nowhere near anything, was addressed, on the site sort of.
The family wants her to get a high-tech device that will return some sort of perambulatory abilities. I asked my prostheses expert Matthew Bradshaw about such situations. He told me:
Trauma patients tend to do better than amputees who lose limbs because of disease. That being said, there are many factors involved.As for why the accident happened, one media account reported that:
Double amputees have a much tougher time than single leg amps. Also, being amputated to the hip is the most difficult type to wear and do well with, made even worse by having to wear another leg on the other side. The below knee will obviously be stronger leg. Problem with hip dis articulation is you have to relearn walking controlling hip and knee articulations. Difficult at the best of times. Add to that having to relearn on (good) below knee side as well, all while trying to maintain balance.
The stress put on your body is exponentially greater with a second leg.
All that being said, the human spirit combined with technology can accomplish some amazing things. Question is how hard is she willing to work and who will pay for these legs?
Latest price for a bionic hip dis articulation leg starts at about $100 000 and up.
"She chose to take a short cut over the train tracks that many locals in the area frequent."And according to another media account:
She took a taxi to her friend’s place, but when she realized no one was there, she headed home to Verdun on foot, across Canadian National tracks that have become a popular but unauthorized rail crossing.
She saw a stopped train on one set of tracks. But it wasn’t until it was too late that she saw the second one. She saw the train coming and she ran as fast as she could. She thought she could make it across," said mom Shelley Stott.
Having looked at maps for a long time I still don't see what a popular shortcut in that area.There's no shortcut to Verdun on that route that I can fathom.
If a reader wants to set me straight on what that popular shortcut would be, I'd be most fascinated to know.
Nonetheless the initial speculation of cabbie malfeasance raised elsewhere seems to at least have been addressed. Some people who discussed this unconfirmed report on Facebook have speculated that the taxi driver might have been negligent for dropping the young woman off in such a spot where she clearly did not live.
She is hoping to get some sort of high-quality prosthetic limbs when she moves back home to Ottawa.
"Her left leg is gone just below the knee and the right leg completely removed along with her hip bone," according to the note on the funding page.
She was spotted by another train conductor about four hours later in a pool of blood and suffering severe frostbite to her hands..
There was a similar incident in June 2013 not far to the east.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cjad.com/CJADLocalNews/entry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10556224
Alcohol and trains definitely do not mix.
Thank You.
For what it's worth, according to Google, there are 3 main routes from the bar to Verdun. On of them crosses Bridge and Wellington.
ReplyDeleteFuther to this topic.
ReplyDeleteThere was a man wandering around the same area in the winter a few years ago, having last been seen leaving a bar to the east in the early AM He attempted to cross the ice in the Lachine Canal near Mill and Riverside, fell thru and then froze to death on the shore.
He was spotted by workers on a sign and crews called.
Here are two films of the Lachine Canal from the past, trying to get ships down before winter sets in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyFFPZWNmVQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4na4Nq7RY4
Back in December 1958 we heard on CJAD that a ship was trying to get thru a swing bridge in the Lachine Canal in the ice, got stuck, blocking the bridge open and fears were the bridge would be out of service all winter. Rumours at the time indicated a steam locomotive was used to help pull the ship clear, but, no photos have surfaced to prove this fact.. Winters did seem to be much worse in the Forties and Fifties.
Check The Gazette for early December 1958 @ Google, and, Thank You to Mr. Urban Legend for informing me about this resource!
In the New Year we waited to see the arrival of the first ship in Montreal Harbour from downstream to which a gold headed cane was presented by the Mayor. Shipping and the Port of Montreal was then an important part of all our lives and always in the news, as before the Seaway opened in 1959, only smaller salt water ships could ascend above Montreal and much cargo was transshiped, grain being kept in the once common concrete grain elevators along the waterfront.
Coal was unloaded in Basins just downstream to the Victoria Bridge, a trip to the South Shore on the M&SC thru a huge coal yard btwn Griffintown and the river.
M&SC 622 heads towards V. Bridge, Griffintown out-of-frame to left. Coal piles to right. Semaphones and their tower control crossing of CNR spur to coal yards.
http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0101/bv116.jpg
Route of M&SC Montreal and South Shore.
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/9074/mscmap.jpg
M&SC 607 heads west for Victoria Bridge and South Shore @ foot of Mc Gill.
http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/photos/cnr_interurban/MSC_607.jpg
Montreal Tramways cars on Route 29 Outremont to Terminus Garland on Decarie used the same track on Mc Gill and turned East and around the block.
Thank You.
A small correction - she was hit by a freight train (I believe CN 148 which is an intermodal train that heads to the port of Montreal) which do not operate on the elevated portion of the tracks, those are used exclusively by passenger trains (VIA, Amtrak and AMT). Here is a shot of the track which CN 148 would normally take to head towards the port, just west of Bridge and at ground level (elevated tracks are seen above).
ReplyDeletehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/mtlwestrailfan/13967790197/in/photostream/
Thx. I changed the text to reflect that but I remain unclear which train tracks it was.
ReplyDeleteThere's a train that crosses Bridge St. occasionally, it's not that, is it?
Yes, any CN train going to or from the port of Montreal has to cross Bridge Street there.
ReplyDeleteThere have been countless incidents all around the world of people being abducted and then tossed from vehicles onto railway tracks with the intent to make it look like an "accident" or "suicide".
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, suicide cannot entirely be ruled out in this case.
Many years ago, a despondent woman was discovered wandering around inside the Cote St. Luc railway yard mumbling about killing herself.
The victim, Miss Sarah Stott, is a brave young woman whose life will never be the same. It is indeed a miracle that she survived at all. The generosity of the public is truly heart-warming.
ReplyDeleteSee: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/sarah-stott-young-woman-whose-legs-were-severed-by-train-in-good-spirits-1.2886458
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/fundraiser-for-woman-whose-legs-were-severed-by-train
The media-reported details of this shocking and tragic story do present some discrepancies, however.
First of all, in the articles above as well as in other media, it is stated that "She took a taxi to her friend’s place, but when she realized no one was there, she headed home to Verdun on foot, across CN Rail tracks that have become a popular but unauthorized rail crossing.".
Even a cursory analysis of the map indicates that the railway level crossing on Bridge Street south of Wellington where the accident is reported to have occured is zoned industrial/commercial and nowhere near any major residential area that I am aware of other than those on Cite du Havre. Was her friend living at some other nearby, recently-converted loft?
Secondly, even if such residences do exist close to that railway crossing, I think it surprising that Sarah would then walk around or through the maze of the nearby railway yards in the dark rather than choose a safer route where she could at least hope to flag down a taxi, going up Bridge Street and then west along Wellington Street through seedy Point St. Charles, past Ash Park, and under the highway to Verdun's boundary line--a considerable distance indeed. Perhaps more importantly, how far into Verdun would she have to walk to reach home? I can't help but feel that some crucial facts are missing from this story and we may yet never know exactly what did happen.
It is not mentioned whether or not Sarah had a functioning cellphone with which to call another taxi once she realized her friend was not at home. Obviously, if she could have done this the tragedy would have never occured.
On the other hand, if she did in fact have a cellphone which--while still being conscious after being run over by the train--can we not logically assume that she would have attempted to dial 9-1-1 presumably if being physically able to reach and use it, but because she had been lying on the tracks for 3 to 4 hours, we can also only assume that this was impossible for her to manage.
By raising these questions, it is not my intention here to discredit the media nor to add insult upon injury to the victim. I understand that privacy concerns and ongoing police investigations often oblige reporters to sometimes alter people's names, places, addresses, and certain pertinent facts.
Indeed, analysis of newspaper archives will reveal that it was not so long ago the addresses of victims, witnesses, suspects, and perpetrators were legitimately published, although quite often such names and addresses were deliberately mispelled and misnumbered to discourage "sightseers".
I have not yet researched exactly when such specific details of identification ceased to be printed in the newspapers nor who decided it would no longer be "fair play", "politically correct" or if it possibly became against a new law to continue doing so.
A case in point: the infamous Steven Truscott case where, despite him being a 14-year-old minor, his name was actually published in some newspapers (not the Montreal Gazette) immediately following his arrest, though subsequently kept secret until the case broke wide open.
Interesting analysis.
ReplyDeleteThe CBC repeated that it was an oft-used route without any explanation and I find that bad reporting on their part because it clearly is not.
I've added a little bit to the story about the cost of what she wants and the prognosis of success.
Coincidentally, just prior to the Truscott case, changes to the Canadian Criminal Code regarding publication were suggested and later adopted.
ReplyDeleteSee the Gazette of June 12, 1959, page 1, article heading: "Code Change Affects News".
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=Fr8DH2VBP9sC&dat=19590612&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
and:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publication_ban
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-46/page-243.html#docCont
What inescapably comes to mind are scenarios which-sadly-occur all-too-often:
1) A person--male or female--is abducted from a nightclub or elsewhere after being drugged or threatened with a weapon and then driven to a remote area at which a robbery or assault occurs. The victim is then abandoned to fend for themselves, often left for dead. Taxi drivers, unfortunately, are frequent victims of this.
2) A person--male or female--either willingly or is duped into accompanying someone they either know well or only slightly, only to end up robbed or assaulted and likewise left abandoned in a remote area. Haven't we seen this movie before?
3) How often do we hear about stabbing victims not cooperating with police following downtown brawls? What is the percentage of rape victims who actually identify their perpetrators?
Again, I do not wish to impugn anyone's character nor to be insensitive to a victim's suffering and plight, but clearly pieces of this puzzle are yet to be snapped into place.
Thanks. Most interesting. The questions seem reasonable to me.
ReplyDeleteBTW, UrbanLegend, I am planning to start an informal "one phone call" podcast this year.
Was wondering if you'd occasionally be willing to chat on the phone for that purpose? If so email directly thru the link above.
Podcast, eh?
ReplyDeleteSounds cool.
It would be nice to find the exact location of the incident, as mentioned, there are probably NO residences in that whole area South of Wellington down to Victoria Bridge and over Mill to Lachine Canal Locks? Used to be all stock yards and cattle pens with cattle overpasses ( Green ) crossing Bridge and Mill way back when.
ReplyDelete( The following view from 1947, which I wish I knew how to 'Activate', shows cattle overpasses @ Bridge and Wellington.
http://archivesdemontreal.com/greffe/vues-aeriennes-archives/jpeg/VM97-3_7P5-25.jpg
Some of the South area was sorda 'improved' for EXPO, but, in it's day, DID provide many incomes, and housing, such as it was.
So-called modern 'high density housing for the underemployed' or whatever they call it , is really ugly, such as the complex on 2/17/20 out Lachine way, and so many others.
Remember the video of the businessman getting in the Taxi @ the Sun Life on Dorchester and getting the tour? Or the Video of the fight on the fire escape? Saw too much back in the Bell.
'Cattle in Pens' like @ Mill and Bridge in the Canada Packers days????? Truth Hurts.)
What does the Taxi driver say, if he was found, regarding drop off location, and why?
Was victim 'hit' by the train, or was 'climbing thru' a stopped one, then hit by a train or cut of cars on next track? Was a locomotive leading movement = noise and light?
Was there a cell phone? Was it Dead? Or lost in incident?
Did locomotives cut off their train and come back light over same route?
Trains can 'push back' without any employee or locomotive on the 'point', one reason they are so dangerous as inaudible if no locomotive leading, and if flat cars, almost invisible in the dark.
If one was DRINKING? and mind-clouded in totally-hostile environment in cold, wind and snow.
If 'Road' locomotives on first train, they should have Event Recorders to chart time and motion data similar to 'Black Boxes' in airplanes. A 'Yard' locomotive might not be so equipped.
Back in the Sixties we used to cross under the CNR main tracks was down on Bridge where they used to change steam to electric and vice versa at old 'Bridge Street' station, in an underpass, 1942, the West end of which gave CNR employees access to the PSC Shop complex from Bridge St. near the Irish Stone
https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.486587,-73.54608&spn=0.000008,0.003331&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=45.486629,-73.546899&panoid=UazZ8S_7n8MoZ2QsFpigGQ&cbp=13,171.46,,0,11.74
( In 1967, during an Autobus MTC strike, CNR ran special passenger shuttle trains from Central Station to Old Bridge St. for EXPO 67 patrons, using this underpass. Wonder if 'Expo this way' posters still in there? )
After using this route, we would navigate the CNR shops and come out way over on Sebastopole by Wellington, trains all around, switch lamps for illumination. 50 years ago, now. Dumb, but young, and sober.
Next time one is at a Rwy. Museum, or with a Railway Employee in a Yard. With wet hands and shitty slippery city shoes attempt to climb on a piece of Railway Rolling Stock, especially a flat car or tank car and see the challenges involved, especally if footing is snow, ice or wet, oily ballast, and car stirrup oily, too.
Too risky to try it moving for a novice.
Terrible.
Thank You.
Yet another error, already!
ReplyDeleteThe cattle overpasses were at Mill and Bridge as in 1947 view.
The recently-demolished Express Building was at Bridge and Wellington on SW corner, CNR elevated line w/wires behind.
What an awful place to be in winter in the middle of the night.
Sorry.
Didn't our parents always warn us that being in the wrong place at the wrong time for the wrong reasons can get you into serious trouble? We've all done stupid things in our lives at one time or another and had to quickly think up some plausible explanation in order to avoid embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteWhile researching through the newspapers going back decades, it is amazing how routinely you will read about strange and suspicious predicaments in which people find themselves, who then give "explanations" that defy logic from which one has no alternative but to try to read between the lines in order to determine the truth about what really happened (President Clinton, anyone?).
Bruises and other injuries which are actually the result of conjugal violence are often lamely explained away with, "Oh, I walked into a door." The daily Yahoo "news pages" are filled with this kind of stuff, of course.
Too often it is curious or careless children who end up injured or killed when spraying graffiti and/or trespassing where they know they shouldn't be--such as on railway tracks, quarries, cliffs, canals, storm drains, bridges, etc.
For example, I have read articles about the police having to rescue people on Mount Royal who claimed they "stumbled and fell" down the eastside cliffs with the story that they "dropped their watch", sustaining injuries while attempting to retrieve it, when it is more likely that they were pushed down by a stranger whom they foolishly attempted to proposition or rob.
Adults should know better, of course, doing foolish, reckless things often when drunk or on drugs, but also thoughtlessly, acting on a dare, participating in some ridiculous college fraternity "initiation", binge-drinking, hazing, cruising for outdoor sex, jogging alone in a rough neighbourhood or taking risky shortcuts, car-surfing, train-surfing, ad infinitum.
Yes I imagine that having an unlikely explanation makes it doubly infuriating for somebody who suffered harm.
ReplyDeleteFor example friends and neighbours secretly suspected a Montreal man of killing his wife a couple of decades back. It turned out that the killer was that William Fyfe guy. (Whose murder spree I've resisted the temptation of chronicling up to now)
Here's another: a longtime Liberal MNA, now Mtl city councillor fell off a train in Italy while looking for a bathroom about 30 years ago.
http://ow.ly/GPnYz
Here's a perfect example of stupid people doing stupid things!
ReplyDeletehttps://au.news.yahoo.com/a/25909349/firefighters-rescue-naked-woman-trapped-in-ex-boyfriends-chimney/
And the foolishness continues:
ReplyDeletehttps://au.news.yahoo.com/a/26041072/man-rescued-from-air-vent-after-trying-to-sneak-into-club/
Kristian, as I'm sure you're aware, Miss Sarah Stott recently passed away and a coroner's investigation followed.
ReplyDeleteSee: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/sarah-stott-dead-1.3786370
http://www.ottawasun.com/2016/09/30/how-fragile-life-is-remembering-sarah-jo-stott
Since this type of story is typically right up your alley and because many loose ends still remain from this horrific incident, I am wondering if you have obtained any further information which may clarify matters?
Unless the "facts" presented by Miss Stott and/or by the media at the time were erroneous (or perhaps even deliberately misleading), we have no alternative but to speculate.
1) We know on that fateful evening Miss Stott was employed downtown at the Irish Embassy Pub and Grill at 1234 Bishop Street near Ste. Catherine.
2) It was reported that, after her shift ended, she took a taxi to a friend's house who, as it turned out, was not at home. Neither the friend's address nor its general location was identified with relation to where Miss Stott herself resided.
3) If Miss Stott had a cellphone, why did she not call a taxi to pick her up from outside her absent friend's house to take her home? Presumably disappointed at not meeting up with her friend, did impatience or a compulsive frame-of-mind at that moment play an important factor in her fatal decision to walk home instead?
4) In any event, Miss Stott unwisely decided to take a "well-known shortcut over a nearby rail line", which--according to media reports--crossed over Bridge Street in the industrial park, which, incidentally is a considerable distance from the nearest residences at Cite du Havre. Note that there are two level crossings over Bridge Street: one north of and the other south of Mill Street, so where exactly was (is?) that shortcut and how far was it by walking distance from the friend's address?
5) Being originally from Ottawa, exactly how familiar was Miss Stott regarding these nondescript Montreal districts and, in particular, any relevant railway shortcuts?
6) To add to the confusion, Miss Stott's home address was variably reported by the media to be in Verdun, Pte. St. Charles, or St. Henri. So which is it? This is vital if we are to understand the timeline of the incident and the presumed convenience of using said shortcut in the first place.
7) Why would a young woman alone take such risks trespassing in a potentially dangerous zone and so late at night?
Another perplexing factor is that, during interviews, Miss Stott seemed somewhat evasive and even fatalistic about her entire ordeal. Under the circumstances, this may be understandable, but weren't the police obligated to pursue any evidence of foul play? Would that not have been standard procedure?
Leave no stone unturned or let sleeping dogs lie?
RIP Miss Sarah Stott
I believe she has since committed suicide after moving back home to her parents in Ottawa.
ReplyDelete