An American man identified simply identified as Matthew has to be one of the luckiest people in the world as the 36 year old has been able to cheat death on two different occasions that left many others dead.
Matthew was one of the victims of the Paris attacks that left over a hundred people dead and even many more injured. Matthew who is not new to terrorists attacks had first survived the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre in New York back on September 11, 2001. Matthew who had just arrived work at the Twin Towers was on his way to meeting when the Twin Towers were struck by Al Qaeda terrorists. According to him, he had had to sprint across half of Manhattan to survive that attack.
He was however faced with death again while attending the Eagles of Death Metal gig in the Bataclan the night of the Paris attacks. He was shot in the calf and had to pretend to be dead and drag himself slowly to safety every time to escape being killed. He explained
“I inched forward centimetre by centimetre. At one point, I saw the ledge of the exit at arm’s reach, I was able to grip it with one finger, then the other.”
He was later helped by journalist Daniel Psenny who had been filming the attacks from his apartment. Daniel had seen Matthew emerge from the hall exhausted and had gone to his assistance as he saw him collapse. Daniel also received a gunshot wound in his arm while rescuing Matthew. Assisted by another man and Daniel, Matthew was taken to Psenny’s flat where they performed some first aid on him and remained there for hours before police allowed local residents to leave the building and the injured pair were taken by ambulance to George Pompidou hospital.
Fortunately Matthew’s wife who was supposed to have attended the concert with him had been unable to due to their inability to find a babysitter.
(Mathew and Daniel)
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