There’s nothing a Jersey Girl can’t do.
That sentiment was borne out true in early May when a 29-year-old woman from the Garden State was hit by a train and saved her own life.
Lisa Fitzgerald was hit by a New Jersey Transit (NJT) train at the Morristown station in northern New Jersey on May 5.
Lisa’s mother-in-law, Stacey Weil Fitzgerald, told Fox News Digital that it was “pouring rain” the night of the horrific accident and Lisa was waiting to catch a train to New York City.
“It was a freak accident … somehow she ended up falling under the train,” Weill-Fitzgerald explained.
“Her leg was immediately amputated.”
Her mother explained that the train was still on its way to the station when Lisa was hit.
She was hit by the last few cars of the train.
“She climbed up onto the platform and waited on the tracks,” Ms. Weill-Fitzgerald explained. “Poor thing, she crawled over on her own.”
“She said, ‘I was so scared my hair was going to get caught in there and get sucked in. [me back in],” she added.
“So she waited for the train to stop. She leaned out onto the platform and started screaming for help.”
Weill-Fitzgerald told Fox News Digital that several people passed her at the Morristown station and ignored her screams, and Lisa wasn’t helped until an NJT employee noticed her.
“Her leg had been completely severed. She was bleeding and started screaming for help,” Weil-Fitzgerald explained.
“A ticket collector from New Jersey Transit came by and he was totally panicked.”
“She said, ‘I need help in 10 seconds,’ and she started screaming, counting, ‘One, two, three,'” she explained, “and luckily two officers from the Morristown Police Department heard.”
Lisa tried to wrap a tourniquet around her leg with her T-shirt until police officers came to her rescue.
The Morristown Department of Public Safety (MDPS) confirmed the incident in a Facebook post.
“When I come into contact with a woman, [an officer] “She noticed that her left leg had been severed from her body above the knee and was bleeding profusely,” the MDPS statement read.
“He quickly applied a tourniquet and tightened it until he was sure the bleeding had stopped.”
Members of the Morristown Fire Department (MFD) also arrived on scene to assist officers and recover the missing limb, which was located underneath the train and released to medical personnel.
“The actions of Officers Hollein, Sellick and Moran undoubtedly saved this woman’s life,” authorities added.
“They demonstrated unwavering calm, facilitated rapid and effective decision-making and provided reassurance and support to victims.”
Weill Fitzgerald told Fox News Digital that Lisa’s sunny personality shone through even in the tragic circumstances.
“She was totally sane and joking,” she said. “She was like, ‘Take me to the hospital. I can’t die like this.'”
Lisa was taken to hospital and treated, but her leg could not be reattached to her body.
A GoFundMe set up by her sister has raised more than $77,000 so far.
The tragic incident happened just two weeks before Lisa’s 30th birthday party.
Birthday plans were scrapped and replaced with a “grandparents” party.
“We decorated the hospital and had a big celebration for her,” Weil Fitzgerald said.
“And she’s doing great. On her GoFundMe, people have been so supportive, it’s just amazing. We’re really happy.”
One of eight children, Lisa has been dubbed the “Morristown Miracle” for surviving the incident and showing strong will and tenacity throughout her recovery.
“She’s incredible,” the proud mother said.
“She never stopped laughing.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the New Jersey State Transit Police.
