2 Boys Die After One Tried to Push the Other Out of the Way of Oncoming Train

A summer afternoon meant for skateboarding and laughs turned into a nightmare that left two families shattered — and a community demanding answers.

Jordan Everett and Joshua Myers, both 16, were killed on July 3 after being struck by a high-speed train at Poynton railway station in Cheshire, England. Authorities say the train was traveling at nearly 110 miles per hour when it slammed into the teens.

But what happened in the seconds before impact is what has gripped the nation.

According to testimony heard during an inquest, Jordan made a desperate attempt to save his friend. A witness said the teen “rugby tackled” Joshua in an effort to push him off the tracks as the train roared toward them.

“He was thinking solely about saving his friend,” Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish said.

It wasn’t enough.

The two teens had been at a local skate park with friends earlier that day. At some point, they made their way to the train station, reportedly climbing over a gate to access the platform.

During the hearing, the court was told Joshua had been shouting that he wanted to kill himself before climbing down from the platform onto the tracks. However, the coroner emphasized there was “no evidence he intended to take his own life.”

Investigators later determined Joshua had alcohol in his system. Devonish ruled both deaths as “misadventure,” stating that alcohol “caused him to be impulsive.”

One friend who was there described the frantic final moments.

“Me and Jordan were screaming at him,” the teen said. “Jordan was screaming at him to get off, but he just wouldn’t.”

The witness said he managed to pull Joshua back onto the platform once — but the teen went back down. Then the train appeared around the bend.

“It was an accident because he did not know that the train was coming,” the friend said.

Seconds later, both boys were struck.

Jordan’s mother, Nicola Everett, has made it clear how she wants her son remembered.

“Jordan lost his life trying to save Joshua. His bravery should be known,” she said in a statement. “We are proud of our son, but devastated beyond belief.”

Speaking directly to the family during the inquest, the coroner acknowledged their pain.

“I know that you wanted him to be hailed as a hero for what he did,” Devonish said. “Well, he was a hero.”

For Joshua’s family, the grief is layered with frustration.

His mother, Jenny Myers, said her son was a vulnerable teen who had struggled and needed help.

“Joshua did not want to die. I know he would have been terrified,” she said. “His death was not something that he wanted or planned.”

She added that she believes he “was failed by every service he came into contact with.”

The tragedy has reignited conversations about teen mental health, alcohol use, and railway safety. It has also sparked debate about access points at train stations and whether more safeguards could prevent similar incidents.

Two boys. One split-second decision. One act of courage that ended in heartbreak.

In the end, officials ruled it an accident. But for two families now living without their sons, the word feels painfully small.

If you or someone you know in the United States is struggling with emotional distress or mental health challenges, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.