Only on CBS 12: A survivor of an Amtrak crash describes the mayhem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS 12) — Walking away from a deadly train crash.
A local man is recovering, but he has some serious injuries and frightening memories.
He was on an Amtrak train , the one that collided with a freight train in South Carolina 6 days ago.
He's telling his story, his tale of survival, only on CBS 12.
He took the train because he says he's nervous about flying.
A week away from his wedding day, he says this experience gives the term 'til death do us part' much more meaning.
The Amtrak train was heading from New York to Florida, 136 passengers and 9 crew members on board.
As it passed through South Carolina, it encountered a switch track , then it went into a head-on collision with a CSX freight train.
Two train employees were killed.
Stedman Wright was in a passenger car falling asleep listening to music on his headphones.
"There was a sudden impact, things started tearing apart, the train (felt like) it was about to tear apart, everything was messed up," Wright said.
Wright was traveling to Florida for his wedding.
Maxine Wright is his fiancé.
"I got the phone call from him he said, 'the train has crashed.' He said 'I'm in a lot of pain.' I was very scared I thought I was going to lose him." Ms Wright said.
"This was a guy on the train I could hear him yelling 'don't worry, don't worry we're all going to be all right.' " Stedman Wright said.
Stedman and his fellow passengers got off the train and were taken by bus to a nearby shelter at a middle school.
Maxine, at home, was waiting on edge for an update.
"I started crying, I felt like my head was starting to hurt at the same time," Ms. Wright said.
Stedman has an attorney, Andrew Odza with Demandthelimits.
Odza says he's investigating how Amtrak handled the passengers in the hours after the crash.
"They shuffled [them]on a bus, not seeking medical attention right away, how can you not feel for all of them?" Odza said.
South Carolina officials say 116 people from the train were injured.
This was the third major train crash in a seven-week period.
Stedman and Maxine have been in each other's lives since they were in school together in Jamaica.
They say this experience is giving them a new perspective, they'll never end a conversation without saying 'I love you'
"It's very important to say those words when you say them, you make your partner feel like they are loved and wanted," Maxine said.
"Everyone who came off of that train alive, it's God, God himself," Stedman said.
Amtrak is now facing tough questions from the government about why a system called Positive Train Control was not installed on that train.
The investigation continues.
Stedman and Maxine's wedding is postponed.
