EVANSVILLE—October 2, 2021 is a day in the life of John Deeg that he will never forget. It was a day that he was lucky to escape with his life when a farm accident almost took his life.
“If my story can remind someone to make sure their tractor, farm machinery is in neutral that would be good,” said John Deeg. “I don’t want anyone to go through what I did.”
The incident took place a year-and-a-half ago, on October 2, 2021. “It was just like any other day, any day working on my farm in the afternoon,” said Mr. Deeg. “My tractor quit on me, so I got off the vehicle to check the fuel. I had to bleed the fuel line.”
“I was going to turn the engine over to prime itself from there.” He started the vehicle, however, “I had forgot to check if the tractor was in neutral,” said Mr. Deeg. “I was standing in front of the back wheel and had just turned the engine over when the tractor started moving and ran right over me.”
The tractor knocked over Mr. Deeg, who fell to the ground, and ran him over. “The vehicle went up my leg, and my back and just missed my head.”
Mr. Deeg sustained a crushed femur, back and pelvis and 12 broken ribs (six that were broken from the front and back) and a damaged shoulder. “I tore an AC joint, basically it tore my collarbone off the shoulder blade. There was also some damage done to the vertebrae in his neck.
“I rolled over after the wheel went by and was lucky; if the disks on the hydraulic lift on the tractor had been down, I wouldn’t have made it,” said Mr. Deeg. “There was no one at home at the time so I called 911,” said Mr. Deeg, who said that it was fortunate he had his cellphone in his pocket and was able get it out and make the call. “Some of us old guys don’t want much to do with new electronics but the cell phone probably saved my life.”
He said from the time he called 911 to the ambulance arriving at the scene probably took between 25-30 minutes. “It seemed like a long time, but the paramedics got to me fast. The person I was talking to on 911 kept me talking and asked if there was anyone they should call and I told them my wife Delena. I gave her the number and called and Delena was there a few minutes later.”
“I was afraid to move at all, because I wasn’t’ sure if my back was broken,” continued Mr. Deeg. “The paramedics put an ambulance board under me.” He pointed out they had tried to get the Ornge emergency helicopter to the scene, but they were in Killarney at that time.
“They (paramedics) took me to Mindemoya Hospital, and I was taken to Sudbury hospital,” said Mr. Deeg. “I was conscious until we got to Mindemoya, then shock started to set in. I do remember the doctors and everyone on hand putting me in the helicopter. And I know they gave me blood on my way over to Sudbury hospital. Yes, it was touch and go for awhile.”
“I spent a lot of time in a rehabilitation centre in Sudbury because I had several surgeries, and things wouldn’t heal as quickly as we had hoped. I spent nine months at the rehab centre.”
“I got back home last June,” said Mr. Deeg. “I can walk, not very far, with a cane. And right now I still have quite a bit of pain when I walk. That is what this latest (fourth) surgery is supposed to repair.”
Mr. Deeg was to have surgery again last Friday. “My femur never healed properly, it was crushed so bad in the incident. The doctors aren’t planning to relace the whole femur, but from the pelvis to the knee.”
“No, what happened to me is not very common, but I can tell you different people that have had similar incidents,” said Mr. Deeg. “It was my own fault for not checking to see the vehicle was in neutral. When the tractor was stopped I didn’t think to pull it out of gear. The message here is don’t forget to miss any steps when it comes to safety.”
