American Tourist Impaled on Rome Colosseum Fence in Shocking Accident

In a shocking turn of events at Rome’s iconic Colosseum, a 47-year-old American tourist found himself in a grim predicament after impaling his spine on a metal fence. The man, who resides in Taiwan, was reportedly trying to scale the barrier—perhaps chasing a perfect selfie or a better glimpse of the ancient arena—when disaster struck. Onlookers watched in horror as he screamed in agony, trapped until he passed out from the pain.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but freeing the tourist was no small feat, taking over 20 minutes. He was whisked to a hospital, where surgeons closed his lower back wound with more than 80 stitches. He remains in serious condition, recovering from an ordeal that turned his Roman holiday into a nightmare.

The incident, which unfolded just days after Pope Francis’ funeral drew global crowds to Rome, underscores the risks of treating historic sites like playgrounds. The tourist, vacationing with family and friends, had only been in the city a few days before his misadventure.