Michael, my brother, found out first from his mother-in-law. There was an “agricultural accident” on one of the roads near her house and the farmer was so bad he was being airlifted from the field. Michael knew we have some fields on that road, which is a particularly hilly area, and knew dad was out spraying. Before calling mom, he drove out there to make sure it wasn’t dad. Thankfully, it wasn’t.
Nonetheless, when dad got home, mom immediately gave him a big hug, an earlier disagreement forgotten.
After dinner, when we expected the emergency personnel were likely gone, we drove out there to see if it was one of the farmers we knew. It wasn’t. We found the field though.
It was eerie.
It was a hay field. The hay was cut and laying in neat rows. They had been in the process of baling it. The tractors all sat right where they were when the accident happened. Halfway down the rows of hay. It wasn’t hard to imagine that they dropped everything as soon as they realized something bad had happened. Baling the hay suddenly didn’t matter any more. We could almost sense the panic as they got out of the cabs and ran to the other side of the field.
We don’t exactly know what happened. It’s possible we never will. It doesn’t really matter though.
The accident is a reminder of how quickly and unexpectedly something dangerous could happen, on the farm or off. At any time. To any one of us. It might not just be a cut on the arm, a broken finger, or a hurt knee. It could be something much, much worse.
It was a reminder not to leave the house angry at one another. Say goodbye. Say I love you. Stop and take a minute. Because you never know what is going to happen.
Our thoughts and prayers are going out to that farmer, his family, and all the guys that were working in that field.
We had a Grandson hurt this spring ,he came home from collage to help on the farm for the weekend ,and he had a hydraulic hose rupture in his hand and blew 2800 psi of hot oil through his hand ,8 surgery’s later and most of his middle finger missing he is surviving , we are grateful it was not worse ,but it only takes a second ,always stay connected with those farmers and tell them you love them as they leave .He does therapy at the doctor 3 times a week and 4 times a day at home ,healing may take a year . Farming is not easy for anyone but worse when you love it and are injured .
I grew up around fields. My uncle had to be carried in from a head injury. Went to hospital and had metal plate put in
You should never leave mad or upset, there is always a chance it could be the last word or action. Life is to short. Love your loved ones, so you will never feel regret.
Lost a good friend and farm hand a few years back when we were moving an auger I was only 7 so I was driving the pickup following when a dump truck came around totally not paying attention to us. and hit the tractor. airlifted to the hospital and died a week later never woke up from the accident. Never leave mad always say I love you and give at least a hug before you walk out that door you never know it might be the last time you walk out that door.
Thank you for sharing your story. I am sure it was painful.
Prayers for the farmer and his family. Machinery is unforgiving!
I had this happen to me twice. In 1979 we lost our oldest daughter in an accident, didn’t get to tell her how much I loved her, her sister was with her, but was ok. In 1993 I lost my husband in skid loader accident on farm. Didn’t get to tell him how much I loved him either. So always remember to tell loved ones how much you love them.
One Sunday morning a man driving a car fell asleep and hit the back of my tractor at full speed.
It banged me up pretty bad. And mangled the tractor. The driver was lucky to be alive. The shanks on my implement opened the car front end like a can opener. All the way into the dash board.
He did make a full recovery. 18 inches either direction and it would have been different.
Please be careful on our rural roads.
I farmed side by side my whole married life. But what suddenly happened one regular morning will never again be the same. Health effects found my husband in his own bed. I’m quilty of commands that were irrelevant in the big picture. Last words. I understand deep down he would never of held it internally. But I had no last I love you’s, or last kiss or last goodbyes. Sometimes we just don’t think about sudden tragedy. We just gotta hope they don’t happen to us. This story struck a nerve. Sorry sorry for the family.
We lost one of our first grade teachers who was jogging on a country road. She was 31 and had a 3 year old with special needs. She was hit by an 18 yr old girl who had just graduated high school. Never heard anything else about the girl, but many lives were changed forever that day. I will never walk or run on the roads again.