Wife Recounts Tragic Moment Husband Was Pulled Into MRI Machine While Wearing Heavy Chain

Adrienne Jones-McAllister is speaking out about the devastating loss of her husband, Keith McAllister, who tragically died after being pulled into an MRI machine while assisting her during a medical visit.

The incident happened on Wednesday, July 16, at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, Long Island, New York. Keith accompanied his wife to the appointment, where she was scheduled to undergo a scan for a knee injury. At the time, he was not a patient himself and was waiting in a separate room until the scan was completed.

In an emotional interview with News 12 Long Island, Adrienne described how she had called out to Keith for help getting off the MRI table after her scan had finished. She claims a staff member allowed him into the room, even though he was wearing a 9kg (roughly 20-pound) metal chain around his neck — a piece of workout equipment he commonly wore.

“He waved goodbye to me and then his whole body went limp,” Adrienne said through tears. “He went limp in my arms.”

The wife of a man who died after being sucked into an MRI machine has described the tragic incident

News 12 Long Island

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machines use powerful magnetic fields and radio waves to capture detailed images of the body. Due to the strength of these magnets, patients are required to remove all metal items beforehand — including jewelry, piercings, and accessories — to avoid serious injury or equipment damage.

Keith, who was not undergoing a scan, was pulled into the magnetized machine by the force of his metal chain. The impact left him critically injured.

Adrienne said her husband suffered from a series of heart attacks after getting pulled in

News 12 Long Island

According to Sky News, authorities reported that the force of the magnet caused “a medical episode.” Keith was eventually freed from the machine but suffered a series of heart attacks and later died from his injuries.

“The male victim was wearing a large metallic chain around his neck causing him to be drawn into the machine, which resulted in a medical episode,” the Nassau County Police Department told the BBC.

Adrienne claims the technician on duty was fully aware of the chain and had even discussed it with Keith before the incident occurred.

“It’s not the first time that guy has seen that chain. They had a conversation about it before,” she said.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machines use powerful magnetic fields and radio waves to capture detailed images of the body

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She recalled the terrifying moment when the machine pulled her husband in: “I yelled out Keith’s name, shouting ‘Keith, come help me up.’ At that instant, the machine switched him around, pulled him in, and he hit the MRI.”

As panic unfolded, Adrienne said she pleaded with the technician to take action.

“I said could you turn off the machine, call 911, do something, turn the damn thing off.”

She added that the staff member struggled to pull Keith away from the machine due to the overwhelming magnetic force.

Since the incident, Adrienne says she’s been unable to eat or sleep. “I just can’t believe… I’m still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing,” she said

The Nassau County Police Department has confirmed that an investigation is ongoing to determine exactly how this fatal oversight occurred.

This tragic event highlights the critical safety protocols surrounding MRI technology and raises serious concerns about procedural failures in medical facilities.