Teenager Hailed as Hero at Inquest After Dying in Bid to Save Friend from Train
A 16-year-old boy has been posthumously hailed as a hero after losing his life in a desperate attempt to save a friend who had jumped onto a railway line. The tragic incident occurred at Poynton railway station in Cheshire, where both teenagers were struck by an oncoming train.
Desperate Attempt to Save a Friend
Jordan Everett, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, tried to push his friend Joshua Myers, 16, from Handforth, Cheshire, to safety when he saw the lights of an approaching Avanti West Coast train. The pair had been among a group of friends gathered at a local skate park on the evening of July 3 last year before Joshua climbed over a gate onto the platform and descended onto the tracks.
CCTV footage reviewed at Cheshire Coroner’s Court showed it was merely a matter of seconds between the train's lights first appearing and the fatal impact. HM Senior Coroner for Cheshire, Jacqueline Devonish, stated that the teenagers could not have moved fast enough given the train's high speed.
"Jordan was thinking solely about saving his friend," Coroner Devonish said. "His act of selflessness in trying to save his friend is to be commended." Concluding that Jordan's death was an accident, she directly addressed his mother, Nicola Everett, during the inquest: "I know you wanted him to be hailed a hero for what he did. Well, he was a hero."
Separate Inquest for Joshua Myers
In a separate inquest held at the court in Warrington, Coroner Devonish concluded that Joshua Myers died of misadventure. She ruled that while Joshua had been shouting about wanting to kill himself and climbed down onto the tracks, there was no evidence he intended to take his own life. Instead, his impulsive behaviour was likely influenced by alcohol intoxication.
The coroner noted that Joshua's actions were contributed to by multiple stresses in his life, including peer pressure, bullying both at school and online, and outstanding allegations made against him to the police. The investigation involved a claim of sexual assault, though no charges had been brought.
"We know he was inebriated that night. He had been having a very stressful time," Ms Devonish explained. "Being bullied at school, bullied in the community, bullied online. It is a lot to cope with for anyone, let alone a teenager." She added that his friends and family were aware of his struggles and had been trying to protect him.
Train Driver's Harrowing Account
Train driver Bryan Holt provided a statement to the inquest, describing how he approached the well-lit track and platform at 10:10 pm and very clearly saw two people on the line. He immediately deployed the emergency brake.
"The rest of it was over in a split second," Mr Holt said. "I think I saw both of them trying to move... they both went in different directions. They looked desperate to get out of the way of the train."
A teenage friend who was on the platform at the time told police that Jordan tried to "rugby tackle" Joshua to the other side of the track. "He was shouting 'get off the tracks Josh, get off please'. Like he was begging him," the friend recalled. "The minute we saw the lights was the minute Jordan jumped on. He jumped on to try and save him but it didn’t work." He added that Joshua had started talking about killing himself approximately ten minutes before the incident.
Families' Heartbreaking Statements
Joshua's parents, Warren and Jenny Myers, along with other family members, attended their son's inquest. Mrs Myers described Joshua as "bright, active and deeply loved by his family." She said he thrived in their company but had begun drinking and taking drugs after joining a new friendship group, and had started going missing from home.
"He became upset when people started making claims about him which were not true," Mrs Myers stated. "He didn’t want to die. We know he would have been terrified. His death was not something he wanted or planned." The coroner agreed, noting evidence suggested Joshua was actually trying to avoid the train at the last minute.
Mrs Myers expressed that the family believed her "vulnerable" son had been "failed" by every professional service he came into contact with. However, Coroner Devonish responded that "a lot was going on in the background" with various support services. "Nothing was working and despite all the interventions they could not find a way of helping him," she said. "In relation to the support that Joshua was receiving, the indication was that he did not have a mental health issue and that his problems related to his drinking. He was probably drinking to drown out everything going on in his life."
Inspector Claire Miles of Cheshire Constabulary told the inquest she presumed the allegations against Joshua were being handled by the force's child protection unit. "As far as I’m aware he was certainly not charged and I don’t think he was ever going to be charged," she said.
Remembering Jordan Everett
In a statement to her son's inquest, Jordan's mother, Nicola Everett, said: "Our hearts are broken beyond repair. We understand and sympathise with Joshua’s family and friends. We hold no malice towards them. Our pain is unimaginable and we realise they must feel the same. Jordan lost his life trying to save his friend. His bravery should be known."
Jordan's father, Paul Everett, who was too traumatised to attend the inquest, provided a statement revealing that Jordan's greatest passion was aviation. From a young age, he had watched planes take off and land at Manchester Airport, and his dream was to become a commercial pilot. He was due to start a course at Manchester College in September, which included a work placement at the airport.
The inquest also heard that Jordan faced emotional challenges, with the Covid-19 lockdowns having a "significant impact on him," compounded by the death of a close family member during the pandemic.
"Jordan was a fun, caring, loving and kind person, and was always thinking of others which he demonstrated right up to his last actions," Mr Everett said.
Coroner Devonish passed on her condolences to both families, describing it as "a very sad case." The inquests have concluded, leaving two families to mourn the loss of their sons in a tragedy that underscores the devastating consequences of impulsive actions and the profound bravery of a selfless friend.
