Adam Goldstein—best known as DJ AM—is lucky to be alive, said Lisa Ingrassia in People. In September, the 35-year-old celebrity emcee and four members of his posse were on a private Learjet that crashed while taking off from Columbia, S.C. Goldstein was asleep when the plane hurtled into an embankment. He awoke to find his friend, drummer Travis Barker, screaming; the plane was engulfed in flames. “Travis jerked open the door and slid on his butt down a wing that was on fire,” Goldstein said. “I tried to cover my face as I jumped through a fireball.” Once he hit the ground, he saw Barker covered with flames. “He tried to rip his clothes off. I finally put the flames out by smothering him with my body.” Goldstein, who sustained severe burns to his face and left arm, was rushed to the hospital, where he lost consciousness for two days. Then he learned that only he and Barker had made it out of the plane; his bodyguard and personal assistant perished, as did the pilot and co-pilot. After a painful round of surgeries, Goldstein is on the mend and trying to come to terms with what happened. “Why did I live? I can’t believe I made it. Any second it can all be gone. There’s a lot more to thank God for now. My philosophy is: Live life to the fullest. I was saved for a reason.”
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