Righteo everyone, calm!
I saw that video many times over and the top was dead as a door nail, stuffed.
With veteran and old tree management some unusual things happen, some rules get bent.
The top had to be cut down, bloody hazardous.
And if you look at the video you can see there's bugger all chance of drop crotching to a decent lateral.
Just below where he cut is a branch, I dare say he would be making a finished cut to that branch.
We talk about leaving habitat, snags etc. We talk about giving a few extra year of life. Such is old tree management if the client wants it.
I doubt, extremely doubt anything will grow back as it was dying anyway.
Take a look at this, anyone driving past might think we topped this tree.
Ekka's pics
This thread here also talks about why in some instances.
Why Topping? + Dead Wooding| Dead Wood