Samuel L. Jackson recently recounted a terrifying moment from his past, sharing how he was once dragged by a subway train in New York City, an experience he described as nearly cost him his life. While appearing on Paloma Faith’s Mad Sad Bad podcast, the acclaimed actor discussed the harrowing incident that happened years ago, bringing renewed attention to the story of when Samuel L. Jackson was dragged by a New York subway train.
Detailed Account of the Incident and Immediate Aftermath
Jackson, best known for his roles in action-packed films battling science fiction villains and perilous situations, said that this real-life event was one of his most dangerous. During his podcast interview, he explained he was standing in the middle doorway of the last car of an A train at a long station when disaster struck. As the doors started to close, his foot became trapped. Jackson vividly remembered the terror as the train set off, moving toward the dark subway tunnel with him partially stuck.
“I got dragged by a subway train in New York… I got dragged by the A train,”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
“I was in the middle door of the last car, and it was a long-ass train station. And when the door closed on my foot, [the] train took off. So I’m sitting there thinking, I’m like, ‘Oh, f‑‑‑, I’m going to die.’”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
He described watching the end of the platform approaching rapidly, feeling helpless as he considered there was nothing nearby to grab or hold onto, desperately hoping to avoid being crushed in the tunnel.
“I could see the tunnel coming, and I couldn’t figure out anything that I could grab or hold on to and get close to the train so I wouldn’t get killed in the tunnel,”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
The Intervention and Jackson’s Recovery Journey
In a fortunate turn, someone onboard intervened by pulling the emergency cord, which caused the train to grind to a slow halt. Jackson remembered how this quick action saved his life and prevented a far more tragic outcome.
“It just slowed down really, really slow,”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
“until all of a sudden the train stopped.”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
The accident, which happened in December 1988, caused Jackson significant physical harm, including torn ligaments in his knee. He spent nearly ten months on crutches, followed by more than a year of physical rehabilitation. Jackson sued the New York Transit Authority and later received $540,000 in damages.
“The guy who pulled the emergency cord was on crutches,”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
Jackson told Paloma Faith that, while in court, he discovered the identity of the person who had pulled the cord. Others on the train had frantically tried to free his foot, but ultimately the man on crutches saved the day by triggering the emergency stop mechanism.
“Everybody else in there was trying to open the door, get my foot out the door, push and push and pull and try and take my shoe off. And he was going to the emergency cord and he finally pulled it and stopped it.”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
Jackson Reflects on Facing Death and Its Impact
Reflecting on the ordeal, Jackson commented that he did not experience the often-reported phenomenon of his life flashing before his eyes. Instead, he felt the world slow down around him as he came face to face with mortal danger.
“That whole thing about your life passing before you, it’s like, ‘Eh, not really,’”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
“Things slow down when you’re looking at death,”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
He elaborated, drawing a parallel with car accidents he had experienced, saying the sensation of time slowing is both real and unavoidable in such traumatic moments.
“I’ve been in car accidents and if I see them, it’s almost like everything is slowing down and you know there’s nothing you can do to get out of the way.”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
Emotional Response and Lasting Memories
Recounting his internal state during the accident, Jackson admitted his thoughts immediately turned to personal milestones he could miss, making the timing of the incident particularly distressing as it happened just before Christmas and his birthday.
“When I was being dragged, all I could think of was, it was going to be a really sad Christmas, because it was like a few days before Christmas,”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
“So I was going to miss my birthday and all that. I was like, ‘Damn, it’s gonna be f‑‑‑ed up. It’s gonna be a f‑‑‑ed up Christmas this year.’”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
Jackson’s Perspective on Trauma and Existential Questions
During their conversation, Paloma Faith asked Jackson if the incident made him think more deeply about existence or the meaning of his life. Jackson bluntly dismissed such existential reflection, linking his attitude to his life experience growing up under segregation as a Black man in America.
“I got my own problems, you know. Just being. I grew up in segregation, so I’ve been, you know, dealing with, you know, existential bulls‑‑‑ my whole life.”
—Samuel L. Jackson, Actor
Broader Implications of Jackson’s Story
Samuel L. Jackson’s account not only highlights the unpredictable dangers of everyday urban life, such as the risk of subway accidents, but also underscores the resilience required to recover from trauma. The incident left a lasting mark on the actor, both physically and emotionally. By sharing his story, Jackson draws attention to issues of public safety, the critical importance of emergency procedures, and the human strength required to move forward after life-altering accidents.
