Teenager Hailed as Hero After Tragic Railway Death Attempting to Save Friend
A sixteen-year-old boy has been posthumously hailed as a hero by a coroner after he died while attempting to save a friend who had jumped onto a railway line in a distressed state. The tragic incident occurred at Poynton railway station in Cheshire, claiming the lives of both teenagers.
Desperate Attempt to Save a Friend
Aspiring pilot Jordan Everett, aged 16 from Stockport, Greater Manchester, tried to push his friend Joshua Myers, also 16 and from Handforth, Cheshire, to safety from an oncoming Avanti West Coast train. Despite his brave efforts, both boys were struck and died from their injuries at the scene. The pair had been among a group of friends gathered at a nearby skate park on the evening of July 3 last year before Joshua climbed over a gate onto the rail platform and made his way onto the track.
Cheshire Coroner’s Court heard that Joshua had told his friends he wanted to kill himself. When Jordan saw the lights of the approaching train, he jumped down onto the tracks in a desperate bid to rescue his friend. HM Senior Coroner for Cheshire, Jacqueline Devonish, stated that CCTV footage showed it was merely a matter of seconds between the train's lights first becoming visible and the fatal impact.
Coroner's Verdict and Tributes
Concluding that Jordan's death was an accident, the coroner directly addressed his mother, Nicola Everett, during the inquest held at Warrington. "I am terribly sorry for your loss and to other members of your family and friends. I know you wanted him to be hailed a hero for what he did. Well, he was a hero," she declared.
In a separate inquest for Joshua Myers, Coroner Devonish concluded his death was due to misadventure. She ruled that while Joshua had been shouting about wanting to kill himself and climbed onto the tracks, there was no evidence he intended to take his own life. Instead, his behaviour was likely influenced by alcohol consumption, leading to impulsive actions.
"Joshua was shouting he wanted to kill himself and he climbed down from the platform but there was no evidence he intended to take his own life but rather was under the influence of alcohol that caused him to be impulsive," she explained.
Background Stresses and Investigation
The inquest heard that Joshua's behaviour was 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, but no charges had been brought. Coroner Devonish noted that Joshua was "inebriated that night" and had been experiencing a very stressful period.
"Being bullied at school, bullied in the community, bullied online. It is a lot to cope with for anyone, let alone a teenager. His friends were all aware of it and were trying to protect him as well as his family of course," she said, extending her condolences to Joshua's family and describing it as "a very sad case".
Joshua's mother expressed that the family believed her "vulnerable" son had been "failed" by every professional service he came into contact with. The coroner acknowledged that various support services were involved but stated, "Nothing was working and despite all the interventions they could not find a way of helping him." She added that indications suggested Joshua did not have a mental health issue, but his problems related to his drinking, which he may have used to "drown out everything going on in his life".
Witness Accounts and Aftermath
Train driver Bryan Holt provided a statement to the inquest, describing how he approached the well-lit track and platform at 10:10 pm on the evening of the incident. He very clearly saw two people on the line, deployed his emergency brake, and said, "The rest of it was over in a split second. 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 on the platform 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 minute we saw the lights was the minute Jordan jumped on. He jumped on to try and save him but it didn’t work," the friend recounted. The coroner noted that evidence suggested Joshua was "actually trying to avoid the train at the last minute".
Family Statements and Legacy
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 did not attend the inquest, shared that his son's greatest passion was aviation. From a young age, Jordan 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", along with the death of a close family member during the pandemic. Mr Everett described his son as "a fun, caring, loving and kind person, and was always thinking of others which he demonstrated right up to his last actions."
Cheshire Constabulary's Inspector Claire Miles informed the inquest that allegations made against Joshua were presumed to be handled by the force’s child protection unit, adding, "As far as I’m aware he was certainly not charged and I don’t think he was ever going to be charged."
