Fairfax farmer loses vision

in right eye in accident

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

FAIRFAX -- Dave Rieke has used his auger hundreds of times over the past few decades and never had an accident -- until last Saturday afternoon.

Now he's telling his story in hopes of preventing the accident from happening to anybody else.

Rieke was using his auger to move corn into a bin on his farm southeast of Fairfax early that afternoon. The auger crank was at eye level. Rieke was about to lower the auger into his bin. He felt some resistance, stopped and was about to release the clutch when the crank got loose and spun.

"I guess it wasn't caught in the latch properly. It could have killed me if I was 2 inches closer to it," Rieke said. "Remember that anything can happen when you are working around machinery."

He credited the metal bow of his plastic-framed glasses with absorbing a good share of the blow to his head. The lens didn't shatter. The impact bent the bow between his right ear and frame at a sharp angle. His right eyeball was cut, and the retina was detached.

After the accident, Rieke realized he had lost sight in his right eye. He thought about calling 911 but opted to drive to Jerry Bemmels' nearby farm. Chad Bemmels drove Rieke to the New Ulm Medical Center.

Using a microscope, doctors put more than two dozen stitches in Rieke's right eye. After the eye stabilizes in the coming weeks, Mayo Clinic doctors will reattach to retina to his right eye, in hopes of restoring sight.

Meanwhile, Rieke stays at home much of the time. He has been told to avoid dust and dirt which could infect his healing eye.

The Riekes have received many offers of help from nearby neighbors. His brother Robert, sister-in-law Barb and their son Dale are handling a good share of Dave's farm work.

Other than the eye injury, Rieke -- who grows corn, soybeans, peas, alfalfa and raises contract hogs -- is in good health. He enjoys writing short stories in his spare time.

"I'm thankful for my good health," Rieke said. "I hope to be able to see something out of my right eye (after surgery)."