A 69-year-old grandfather named Michael Dickinson died in a terrible accident at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Grand Island, Nebraska, just days before Christmas. He was taken to a nearby hospital but died shortly after he arrived. The incident shocked the local community and left his family heartbroken during the holiday season.
According to Fox News, the accident happened when Dickinson got trapped between his own car and the payment window counter. Division Chief Dean Elliott from the Grand Island Police said they told the victim’s family about what happened. Elliott said the incident was “100% a freak accident.”
Police explained what they think caused the tragedy. It looks like Dickinson opened his car door to reach the window better so he could pay. “It appears the deceased opened the door to further reach out of the window for payment purposes,” Elliott said. “We’re not sure if the vehicle lurched forward or what happened, but he became pinned between the door frame and the drive-thru window counter,” he added.
A McDonald’s worker showed amazing bravery trying to save him
A McDonald’s employee saw what was happening and tried to help right away. The worker actually jumped through the passenger side of the car to try to free Dickinson. It was a brave and selfless thing to do, but sadly, it didn’t work. The employee also got hurt while trying to save the man. This tragic incident highlights the dedication of fast-food workers, even as customers help understaffed McDonald’s locations across the country.
What makes this accident even sadder is learning about Dickinson’s life. His daughter shared on Facebook that he had been through a tough health situation recently. Dickinson had his right leg removed in 2021. He got a fake leg a few months later and worked hard to learn how to walk again. This might explain why he had trouble moving quickly or why he opened the door to reach the window.
His family is now facing their first Christmas without him and remembering how loyal and kind he was. They talked about his great character and how he was always willing “to help and be there when it mattered most.” They remembered him as a talented mechanic who loved fixing broken things. While unusual McDonald’s drive-thru experiences often go viral online, this tragedy serves as a somber reminder of how quickly accidents can happen.
His family wrote that even though his life ended too soon, his love, loyalty, and kindness will live on in everyone who knew him. The police said they are still looking into what happened.
Published: Jan 1, 2026 11:59 am