Ocala construction worker has new lease on life after surviving being impaled

OCALA, Fla. (WOLF FOX 35) - The X-ray photo shows almost two feet of rebar impaling Casey Zawojski.  

He was released from the hospital Sunday evening and told Fox 35’s David Williams he cheated death, and it's a miracle he's alive.
 
"It's a miracle. I shouldn't be [here],” Casey Zawojski said. “I just owe everything to the good God that I'm walking the path for. It's amazing to be able to look at all of you and talk to my family."
 
Zawojski was atop a ladder doing construction work at an Ocala home Tuesday.  

The 20-year-old construction worker said he fell right onto a thick steel bar.
 
"I tried to push my left and my right arm down, so I could get up,” Zawojski said. "That's when I figured out I was stuck, and I couldn't move. I was like, ''there's something wrong here.'"
 
Something was wrong.

About a foot and a half of a steel bar impaled Zawojski .
 
"Honestly, I didn't feel it go in," he said.
 
The rebar missed every vital organ, including his heart.
 
"Missed my heart by an inch or so,” Zawojski said. “Yeah, it's crazy."
 
He showed Fox 35 where  the steel bar  impaled him.
 
"Entered in my back, I guess. It came up,” Zawojski said, as he lifted up his shirt.

“It was actually poking right here. You could see it. Thank God it didn't actually come out of my skin. That was pretty scary."
 
Pastor Dax Romine was working near Zawojski and heard him call his name. He called 911 and grabbed a saw. He began cutting the steel bar to free Zawojski.
 
Romine said, "I cut it at long as I could possibly cut it. The rest... 18 inches to a two-foot piece was inside of him."

Zawojski was rushed to Ocala Regional Medical Center where doctors removed the bar.

Romine said the way the steel bar hit Zawojski, his shirt wrapped around the rebar, which he said stopped the bleeding.
 
Romine said a Bible buried in the home's foundation is in the column Zawojski fell on.
 
Zawojski said Pastor Romine helped save his life.
 
"I can't say enough to that man over there,” Zawojski said as he looked across the table at Romine. “I still owe that guy a hug."
 
Romine said, "I'm glad he’s alive and I'm glad I got to participate in that. But, I feel like if anybody was there and had they saw, anybody would've done the same thing."
 
Zawojski  told Fox 35 his life has new meaning.
 
"Yeah, I cheated death. I wouldn't even say I was given a second chance. I know God has a bigger meaning for me in my life."
 
In terms of what’s next for him, Zawojski said he planned on having  meal with his family on Sunday, and enjoy every second of the days he has with them, especially ahead of Thanksgiving.