Electrician Trapped 130 Feet in the Air Recorded Goodbye Messages for Wife and Children

WILMINGTON, Illinois — An Illinois electrician feared he was about to die after becoming trapped more than 130 feet above the ground inside a massive gas-station sign, prompting him to record what he believed could be his final messages to his wife and children.

A.J. Gow was carrying out routine electrical work inside the towering sign at a truck stop in Wilmington when the lift he had been using suddenly malfunctioned. What began as an ordinary job quickly became a terrifying six-hour struggle for survival.

Trapped High Above the Ground

Gow had been working inside the hollow sign on a particularly hot summer day.

He sent his co-worker down to retrieve water and a battery-powered fan. But while the co-worker was returning, the lift developed a mechanical problem and could no longer reach Gow.

Gow was left stranded inside the structure with no easy way down.

As the hours passed, the heat became increasingly dangerous. Without adequate ventilation or water, he began feeling seriously ill.

Eventually, Gow called for emergency medical assistance.

He Thought He Might Not Survive

With rescue efforts initially unable to reach him, Gow began contemplating the possibility that he might not make it home.

He pulled out his phone and recorded goodbye messages for his wife and children.

The electrician later described the recordings as essentially a goodbye without actually saying the words directly to his family. He wanted them to have something from him in case the rescue failed.

The emotional moment reflected just how serious his situation had become.

Firefighters Couldn’t Reach Him

Local firefighters rushed to the scene, but their equipment presented another major obstacle.

Their ladders could reach only about 100 feet, leaving Gow more than 30 feet beyond their maximum reach.

Rescuers therefore had to find another solution.

Eventually, officials located a much taller lift at another job site approximately 17 miles away.

Illinois State Police helped escort the equipment to the scene, allowing rescuers to finally reach the stranded electrician.

Six Hours Later, He Was Safe

After more than six hours trapped inside the sign, Gow was finally brought safely back to the ground.

He was suffering from severe dehydration and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Fortunately, he survived without major lasting injuries.

Video captured during the rescue showed Gow giving a thumbs-up from the towering sign as a news helicopter circled above him.

The dramatic images quickly spread online.

Back at Work After the Ordeal

Despite the terrifying experience, Gow has since returned to work.

He has also said the incident changed the way he approaches safety on the job.

Rather than remaining inside the sign while waiting for assistance, he now plans to stay in the lift bucket whenever possible, reducing the risk of becoming stranded high above the ground again.

Looking back, Gow said he was grateful simply to have survived.

What was supposed to be another routine day at work instead became a six-hour battle against heat, dehydration and fear — one that became even more frightening when he began preparing goodbye messages for the family he feared he might never see again.