Tragedy strikes as medieval games reenactment ends in death

Tragedy strikes as medieval games reenactment ends in death

Peter Barclay was playing the role of a knight in a medieval reenactment when he accidentally stabbed himself with his own lance.

knights jousting
Pixabay

People often say "at least they died doing what they love" to console themselves after the passing of a friend or loved one, but even those who truly find comfort in the platitude would find it difficult to come to terms with Peter Barclay's story.

The 52-year-old Virginia native was participating in an event organised by the Society of Creative Anachronism (a group dedicated to preserving the arts and skills of the 17th century), playing the part of a knight in the middle of a jousting match, when he was impaled on his own lance

Peter's brother John explained how the accident happened: "His metal tipped lance, used for catching rings (not jousting), hit the ground and flipped. Freak accident. It impaled him under his sternum killing him."

John went on to add that his brother will be missed, even though "he died doing what he loved".

Peter was a retired lieutenant colonel of the United States Army. He is survived by a wife and two daughters

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