Not Meant to be an Orphan

Forty-one years ago in the year 1968, I was living in the small town of Cairo, Nebraska, population approximately 600, with my family. The year before, my dad had a career change, from a farmer to a mechanic, after he bought a garage in Cairo. For the first time, we lived "in town" instead of out in the country.

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and had two surgeries, including a mastectomy, during July and August of that year. Her recovery was slow and it was a very difficult winter for her.

Recently my older brother John was in Cairo, and an elderly person he visited there had all the back issues of the local newspaper, "The Cairo Record". She couldn't find this article while he was there, but found it later and sent it to him.

From the December 20, 1968 Cairo Record:

”We just couldn’t think straight”

"Stan Troyer, his son John or Dan Kroeger can tell you what it is like to be monoxide poisoned after a brush with asphyxiation Saturday night. The three men were working in Troyer’s Garage on Dan’s truck, actually had the door open while the truck was running, yet half an hour after they shut the truck off, Stan keeled over. Both John and Dan were partially asphyxiated at the time, but had the presence of mind enough to get Stan outside, Dan Kroeger told John to call the Doctor, then passed out himself. John managed to call the Doctor and Dan’s wife, then staggered outside where he also became unconscious. By the time Dr. Harb arrived, Stan and Dan had come around, but John was still under. Dr. Harb had fire chief Al Veeder called to bring the oxygen resuscitator and about half an hour later, John was back on his feet.

Stan said he had often wondered why a person receiving an overdose of carbon monoxide could not do something about it, such as go for fresh air, or open a door, but he said all of them were staggering around trying to work, but they were unable to think clearly, John said at times he can recall that everything seemed hilariously funny.

Perhaps the thing that saved their lives was when Stan passed out. Until then, apparently, everything seemed under control and none of them felt they were in any way in danger, but when Stan fell over, it jarred them into the knowledge that they must get fresh air.

Dan recalled being dizzy at an earlier point, but said he went back to work thinking it was after effects from the flu.

At any rate, all three feel lucky to be alive and will not soon forget their experience."

Wow. I have heard this story many times over the years, but reading this made me think about how different my life would have been had I lost my dad and/or brother that night. My siblings and I would have been orphans five years later after my mom died! What would have happened to me and my three younger siblings? My imagination can run wild! Obviously it was not God's time for them to go, and I am so very thankful for that!