Almost Strangled By A Leaf Blower

Autumn Trees, Minnesota
Autumn Trees, Minnesota

On a cool Sunday morning while leaves were still falling, I decided to head out and leaf blow to gather all the leaves in one area of our yard.  Putting on a hat, a flannel lined shirt and wrapping a scarf around my neck, I grabbed the leaf blower and plugged it in.

Leaf Blower
Leaf Blower

Turning the leaf blower on, I did the back of our property and headed closer to the garage to work on the front.  From the corner of my eye, I could see my husband was also outside working with earphones on listening to music on his iPod.

“So many leaves,” I muttered to myself. “And this leaf blower is so heavy.”  We use an electric one so we don’t have to bother with purchasing gas.

All of a sudden, I felt my neck being pulled towards the leaf blower.  Looking down, I noticed that the end of my scarf had gotten sucked into the bottom of the blower. Holding down the leaf blower with one hand and the scarf with the other, I looked around and yelled at my husband who was behind me to unplug the leaf blower.  Alas!  He couldn’t hear me.

Unable to move without letting go of my scarf, I kept yelling and yelling for what felt like many minutes. I didn’t want to panic but fear was starting to creep up in my thoughts.

Yelling even louder, I finally got my husband’s attention and he went and unplugged the leaf blower.

Gathering my composure, I looked at the bottom of the blower to see why my scarf was able to get sucked in.  It had a cover on it but there were holes where the scarf was able to penetrate.

Leaf Blower
Leaf Blower

It’s interesting to me how I viewed this situation versus how my husband viewed it.  He was nonchalant about the whole thing whereas I look back and see that I could have been strangled by a leaf blower.  Not the way I wish to die ~ well, there really isn’t any way I really want to die.

A friend suggested next time I tuck my scarf inside my shirt or jacket.  Good idea ~

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2 thoughts on “Almost Strangled By A Leaf Blower”

  1. And I thought I was the only one it happened to. You have my sympathy, it’s a VERY frightening experience and everyone should be aware it can happen so quickly. Yes it says on the instructions to keep loose clothing away from the machine but on a cold day in England (Nov 2016) with leaves blowing everywhere I just didn’t think & automatically wrapped a thin scarf around my neck to keep warm. Unfortunately it also had glittery threads running through it & I was wearing a short silver necklace, all in all, not a good combination especially as I was outside alone at the time. I hadn’t been leaf blowing for more than about 30 seconds and was just beginning to enjoy the difference I was making, when !!!BANG!!! I felt a terrific force like my whole body had just exploded. (Thinking back I do remember bending forward slightly to look at something on the ground). Everything went black and I honestly didn’t know whether I felt dead or alive, whether I was standing up or laying down. Eventually, after what seemed an eternity but probably only seconds, I heard the noise of traffic & opened my eyes…great I was alive!! Still not knowing quite what had happened I went to put down the leaf blower I was still holding & my head went down with it. It was then I realised my scarf had been sucked into the side air vents of the blower. Unwrapping the other end of the scarf from my body I stumbled inside to “what have you done to your neck??!!” I was then taken to A&E for immediate heart monitoring & two doctors asked kindly if I’d tried to hang myself…the skin was torn & red raw. From the looks on their faces I’m not entirely sure they believed me when I said I’d been sucked into a leaf blower. Apparently I’d suffered bad whiplash, almost strangulation & possible electric shock & told I was lucky to be alive as it could have snapped my vertebrae …I’m only little but obviously a toughy!! A year on I’m now out trepidly leaf blowing again but no scars & NO SCARF!!!!! Stay safe everyone

    1. That sounds horrible! Perhaps they should put a large warning sign on these leaf blowers. I’m glad to hear you’re okay.

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