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Aug 19, 2008 10:53 pm US/Central
Man Who Lost Leg Escaping From Flood Fights On
MINNESOTA CITY, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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Rescuers say Dick Hengel should have been the eighth victim of the southeastern Minnesota floods, but he fought his way out of his basement in Minnesota City as the water poured in.
CBS
Minnesota families proved their strong spirits rose above the floodwaters that washed away so many lives and livelihoods. At a picnic in Rushford neighbors met to remember the storm that hit one year ago Tuesday.
Torrential rains devastated southeastern Minnesota in the middle of the night. By morning, 4200 homes and farms were damaged or lost.
More than a half-dozen counties had to be declared federal disaster areas, and seven people eventually died.
Rescuers say Dick Hengel should have been the eighth victim, but he fought his way out of his basement in Minnesota City as the water poured in.
While Hengel was sleeping in his basement that night the water started to rush in. He kicked out the window and when he tried to escape he cut his leg on a jagged piece of glass.
It took rescuers more than 30 minutes to get to him because of the floodwaters, and during that time his leg became infected forcing doctors to amputate it.
Hengel spent several months recovering at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The floodwaters went up to the first floor of his home and it took months to rebuild. He and his family were finally able to move back in a few months ago after they replaced part of the foundation.
Most of his neighbors have moved back. There were three homes on his street that had to be demolished; two have been completely rebuilt while another family is still rebuilding.
"There are definitely improvements. These are better homes than they had before so if the flood did anything it did that," Hengel said.
Hengel retired from his job as a postal worker and now receives full disability. He spends his day on the computer and said mowing the lawn on his riding mower is his freedom.
"When I'm mowing the lawn I have stopped and look in the window. It's some hang up I have and I'll get rid of it. I'll lose it," he said.
Hengel said he feels no pain in his leg and he will see a doctor soon about getting a prosthetic leg.
"Just to be normal again, that's all my asking," he said. "I'd like to walk into a crowd where no one even knows."
Like most families, Hengel said his disaster money from the government is gone. So he's dipping into his savings now to finish rebuilding his home.
"I'm not angry but I'm not better off," he said.
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