ROME, Ga. — A teenager was in critical condition in the hospital Saturday after a train hit him and severed both of his legs, according to Rome Police Department.
Officers said they found Kaden Oxenreider, 16, on the tracks after a man called 911 around 3:45 a.m. Friday morning.
That man was Jay Proudlove.
“Timing is everything, and maybe he does have a fighting chance,” said Proudlove.
He said he happened to be in the right place at the right time that early morning because he was having trouble sleeping.
“My house is hot. My air conditioner doesn’t work very well, and it’s hot. So, I got out for a walk,” said Proudlove.
He began walking closer to E. Callahan St. when he saw something on the tracks.
“I look out of the corner of my eye; I see something white. I’m like, okay, shoot. I took the flashlight, there was a guy on the tracks,” said Proudlove.
He called 911. Police body cameras pick up there. You can see an officer walking the tracks with a flashlight. Another angle shows flashing lights of fire trucks and an ambulance. A stretcher is seen carrying the teenager to the ambulance.
Proudlove learned the teenager’s name Saturday and spoke to his family.
“He walks the tracks all the time, likes to go fishing in the little ponds, in the waterways, it’s one of his hobbies,” said Proudlove.
He said he’s worried now but optimistic the teenager will fight through it.
“I talked to his sister, and he’s in ICU right now. I just told her to keep her head up. He’s a young kid. He’s going to pull through. He’s got a lot of life ahead of him,” said Proudlove.
The Rome Police Department incident report said the train that hit the teenager was a Norfolk Southern train. Once Rome Fire Department and Atrium Health EMS arrived at the tracks and took the child, the tracks were turned back over to Norfolk Southern.
An agent with the railroad company told an officer he will complete an investigation on his end.