Illinois: man nearly saws his face during WTVW Drew Gardner’ stand-up

A man from Illinois had a close brush with death when chainsaw blades nearly sliced his face off – and the tense moment was caught on live TV.

WTVW reporter Drew Gardner was doing a storm damage report in Carmi, Illinois, as a man was using a chainsaw near a fallen tree behind him.

But when the remains of a downed tree suddenly snapped back to earth, it took the chainsaw – and the terrified worker – with it.

The Illinois man can be seen being dragged by the chainsaw as the fast-moving blades come within inches of touching his face.

Despite falling into a ditch in the struggle, the man somehow held on to the chainsaw and did not appear to be hurt.

The man proceeds to get up and walk off like nothing happened, as Drew Gardner continues the weather report.

The tree was one of several in the area that fell during devastating storms, though the exact date of the broadcast could not be determined.

The video was uploaded to YouTube by Drew Gardner himself last week under the headline “Man Nearly Saws His Face During My Stand-up.”

Drew Gardner’s description read: “A man standing behind me has a dangerously close call with a chainsaw during my storm coverage story in Southern Illinois.

“Play the clip till the end and see it in slow motion.”