Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine by Chain Technician Forgot to Warn Him
A tragic incident occurred at a New York MRI facility after a 61-year-old grandfather was fatally pulled into an MRI machine by the chain he was wearing all because a technician reportedly forgot to warn him to take it off.
Keith McAllister had just accompanied his wife, Adrienne, to her knee scan at Nassau Open MRI on July 16. After the scan, Keith entered the room wearing a heavy 20-pound chain he normally used for weight training a chain that had even sparked light conversation with the staff during a previous visit.
But what started as a casual moment quickly turned into horror.
According to police and his family, the powerful magnetic field of the MRI machine yanked the chain with force, dragging Keith into the scanner. He was stuck there for nearly an hour as medical staff and his wife desperately tried to free him. Sadly, Keith died the next day from a heart attack.
His wife, Adrienne, tearfully recalled the moment:
“I saw him walk toward the machine and it just pulled him in. He went limp in my arms. I kept begging them to turn the machine off and call for help.”
His stepdaughter, Samantha Bodden, said the technician had left the room to call Keith in but forgot to warn him about the danger of entering with metal.
“He forgot to tell him to remove the chain. By the time they realized, it was too late,” she wrote on a GoFundMe page created for the family.
She added that both her mother and the technician struggled to free Keith for several minutes before calling police. Unfortunately, the strong magnetic pull made it nearly impossible to pull him off until help arrived almost an hour later.
Doctors at nearby North Shore University Hospital expressed concern and questioned whether proper MRI safety protocols were followed especially regarding metal object checks.
An investigation is now underway. No foul play is suspected.
Keith is remembered by his family as a cheerful man who loved kids, riding bikes, and making people smile.
“He always brought the grandkids gifts. He just loved being around good vibes,” Samantha added.
