An Atlanta magician’s trick stunt at the Atlanta Motor Speedway last Thursday went dreadfully wrong nearly costing him his life. Michael Anthony Mooney, who goes by the stage name of Moodini, was performing one of his tricks between races whereby he chained his wrists to a car and wore a black bag over his head. Moodini was supposed to escape from the cuffs before the race car could pull away down the track.
Even though Moodini has managed to pull off the trick a couple of times before without any mishaps, this time he was not able to free himself from the chains and was dragged down the racetrack. According to media reports, Mooney broke an ankle, one of his wrists, a finger and his clavicle.
“I remember the car taking off, and I remember feeling the vibrations in the chain because I was blindfolded. Then I remember being on the ground …being put into an ambulance,” Mooney told WSBTV from his hospital bed. “I don’t remember hitting my head or breaking anything. I was unconscious for a little while. I was crying. It was just excruciating pain,” he added.
Mooney said the accident happened because he didn’t give himself enough time to complete the stunt. “I just got in a big rush, and I realized I should have taken more time in what I was doing,” he told reporters.
The magician plans to return on stage as soon as he recovers. “I think I’m going to continue to do the stages and escape stuff on stages, but nothing that’s going to end up like this,” said Mooney.
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