AP or the Onion?

jjmoney62 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 30, 2003 11:12 am

ORANGE CITY, Fla. - A mob of shoppers rushing for a sale on DVD players trampled the first woman in line and knocked her unconscious as they scrambled for the shelves at a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Patricia VanLester had her eye on a $29 DVD player, but when the siren blared at 6 a.m. Friday announcing the start to the post-Thanksgiving sale, the 41-year-old was knocked to the ground by the frenzy of shoppers behind her. "She got pushed down, and they walked over her like a herd of elephants," said VanLester's sister, Linda Ellzey. "I told them, `Stop stepping on my sister! She's on the ground!'" Ellzey said some shoppers tried to help VanLester, and one employee helped Ellzey reach her sister, but most people just continued their rush for deals. "All they cared about was a stupid DVD player," she said Saturday. Paramedics called to the store found VanLester unconscious on top of a DVD player, surrounded by shoppers seemingly oblivious to her, said Mark O'Keefe, a spokesman for EVAC Ambulance. She was flown to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where doctors told the family VanLester had a seizure after she was knocked down and would likely remain hospitalized through the weekend, Ellzey said. Hospital officials said Saturday they did not have any information on her condition. "She's all black and blue," Ellzey said. "Patty doesn't remember anything. She still can't believe it all happened." Ellzey said Wal-Mart officials called later Friday to ask about her sister, and the store apologized and offered to put a DVD player on hold for her. Wal-Mart Stores spokeswoman Karen Burk said she had never heard of a such a melee during a sale. "We are very disappointed this happened," Burk said. "We want her to come back as a shopper."

pjaymac · **Joined:** Tue Apr 09, 2002 12:01 am **Posts:** 9

A co-worker of mine pointed out that story to me yesterday, and my response was, "Well, hell, if you're going to get trampled, you might as well get the damn DVD player too, right?"What, she couldn't wait until 11 a.m. or noon (well known to be nontrampling shopping hours) to buy the freakin' $29 DVD player? How much is it when it's not on sale--$40? I don't have too much sympathy for these people who line up for sales at 6 a.m.

Oeditpus Rex · **Posted:** Sun Nov 30, 2003 2:15 pm

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by jjmoney62:
Ellzey said Wal-Mart officials called later Friday to ask about her sister, and the store apologized and offered to put a DVD player on hold for her. <hr></blockquote>
Awfully damned sporting of them, what? <blockquote>quote:<hr>Wal-Mart Stores spokeswoman Karen Burk said she had never heard of a such a melee during a sale. "We are very disappointed this happened," Burk said. "We want her to come back as a shopper."<hr></blockquote>
I hope she'll come back as a litigant, and that Ms. Burk is demoted to "sales associate" for her inane statement.[ November 30, 2003: Message edited by: Oeditpus Rex ]

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Sun Nov 30, 2003 2:35 pm

"Page One, obviously," they said in Mysterious Montana.

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Sun Nov 30, 2003 11:40 pm

[QUOTE]Originally posted by blanp:
[qb]"Page One, obviously," they said in Mysterious Montana.
Winterizing in the pointer. Arrrrrrghhhhhhhh! I am just going outside and may be some time.[ November 30, 2003: Message edited by: Paul Wiggins ]

pzicari · **Posted:** Mon Dec 01, 2003 12:10 am

Every year I swear I'm going to give all the money we would otherwise spend to charity and send a clip of the current outrage to everyone who'd otherwise get something.

Gatekeeper · **Posted:** Tue Dec 02, 2003 3:32 am

She's lucky she didn't lose her life. Amazing, though. People so damn focused on a $29 DVD player that they literally trampled a woman and ignored her (mostly) afterwards.I'm usually sound asleep at 6 a.m.Gatekeeper-30-

SeaRaven · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2003 1:33 am

One wonders whether the A-1 slot at the Great Falls Tribune considered changing "sale deal" to "bargain" in that hed.

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