On July 16, 2025, Keith McAllister, 61, was killed in a freak MRI accident in Long Island, New York. A routine scan turned deadly when McAllister, wearing a heavy chain, was pulled into the MRI machine as his wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, watched in horror.
A Devastating Turn of Events
The tragic incident occurred at Nassau Open MRI, a clinic the couple had visited multiple times before. Jones-McAllister told News 12 that her husband had even discussed his 20-pound strength-training chain with staff previously. However, this time, after Jones-McAllister’s knee scan was complete, the technician brought Keith into the room to help her off the table. As he approached, the MRI’s powerful magnet instantly attracted the chain around his neck, pulling him into the machine. “He went limp in my arms,” Jones-McAllister recounted, pleading with staff to turn off the machine and call 911. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing. He waved goodbye to me, and his whole body went limp.”
Jones-McAllister and the technician tried to free Keith for several minutes but were unsuccessful. He remained attached to the MRI machine for almost an hour until emergency responders managed to remove the chain. McAllister suffered multiple heart attacks during the ordeal and tragically died the next day, July 17, while receiving medical care.
Family Speaks Out Amidst Misinformation
As McAllister’s accident went viral, Jones-McAllister’s daughter, Samantha Bodden, took to Facebook on July 18 to clarify misconceptions. She stated, “No he wasn’t a patient. My mother was the patient. The procedure was finished when [he] was brought into the room to help my mother off the table because my mother always needs help with stuff like that.” Bodden emphasized the traumatic experience for her mother, adding, “She has [sic] to witness her husband being strangled. They leave so much stuff out. R.i.p to him and I pray he’s at peace.”
In a separate post following her mother’s interview with local news, Bodden accused the imaging clinic of attempting a cover-up, insisting the full story wasn’t being accurately portrayed. She clarified, “Was it a freak accident yes. However him being in that room wasn’t unauthorized. He was brought into the room by the technician.” Bodden also acknowledged that while she and Keith didn’t always get along, he didn’t deserve what happened, nor did her mother deserve to witness it.
Five days after McAllister’s death, on July 21, Bodden shared that she had been receiving numerous hateful emails and messages. “The ones Blaming my mom or trying to make it seem like she did this purposely are really the ones getting on my nerves,” she wrote. The overwhelming negative backlash has prevented her from responding to many well-intentioned messages. Bodden has since set up a GoFundMe to assist the family with funeral expenses. We extend our deepest condolences to the family during this difficult time.