Amish Farmer On Ventilator – After Being Hit By Pickup Truck (Lancaster County) UPDATE: Omar Is Off The Ventilator
This happened at the beginning of the month – though this is the first time I’m seeing it reported on.
An Amish farmer and father of five was struck by a pickup truck while walking home in Lancaster County, PA – leaving him in what sounds like quite bad shape.
CBS 21 is picking up reporting on this, following a GoFundMe that has been started by a non-Amish friend of the man. More:
According to a GoFundMe, dairy farm owner Omar Stoltzfus was walking home from his father’s house across the street on Creek Hill Road, Sept. 2, having just dropped off his horse.
That’s when, according to a close friend of Stoltzfus and the GoFundMe organizer, a pickup truck struck him—leaving him with a fractured skull, a fractured jaw, a fractured back, and several other fractures.
Currently, the organizer stated Stoltzfus is on a ventilator and is sedated, but unresponsive, and has also started a battle with pneumonia as of Tuesday.
The man’s family has been left not only with the emotional burden of husband and father in hospital, in what sounds like a worsening state, but to deal with the family farm.
The oldest child is a young teen, and of course church, family and neighbors are helping, but it also comes at harvest time in addition to the daily milking.
More details on that from the GoFundMe:
Family is with him 24 hours a day in case he wakes up.
Omar is married and a father of five children ranging in age from 4 to 14. He and his wife own a dairy farm with 31 cows in Lancaster County.
Friends, family, and neighbors are helping the 14-year-old son milk the cows every day and harvest the fields.
Amish do not have health insurance. They rely on the community for support. Since Omar has been hospitalized, there is also no income coming in.
His wife is considering selling some of their cows to pay the bills, which would result in less income for them.
Please help to raise enough money to help pay his hospital bills and support the family during this tragic time.
I’m also asking for prayers for his full recovery and for his family during this time. Thanks, Jerry
If you’ve driven in Lancaster County you can understand how this sort of thing could happen. Many roads have little shoulder, there is an abundance of curves and hills, and people drive fast.
Omar was apparently walking just a short distance back to his farm from his father’s place, something he’d probably done countless times before.
The GoFundMe was created three days ago.
There has apparently been no public reporting of this until now; CBS 21 says that they are “working to learn where the accident happened in the county and if anyone has been cited or charged for hitting Stoltzfus.”
If you’d like to help, you can contribute to the GoFundMe here:
Update: Off the Ventilator!
An update was posted by Jerry yesterday (the family friend and fundraiser organizer). It seems Omar was taken off the ventilator and is speaking. Sounds like a step in a good direction:
“Praise report!!! Omar was taken off the ventilator yesterday. He was able to speak & he recognized his wife. They are sedating him slightly to keep him from pulling IV’s & things out. Prognosis is better but he still has a long road ahead to recovery.”
Hat tip to Guy in Ohio.
Update #2: Omar is Back Home
This update was just posted October 10 by family friend and fundraiser organizer Jerry Pilachowski:
Great News!! Omar is home with his family! He’s started physical therapy. His balance is getting better and his memory is improving.
He is still unable to milk his cows and they have hired a herdsman to milk the cows everyday. The family is grateful for all of you who have supported them.
I know a lot of people will be happy to hear this positive report.
Omar Stoltzfus
Oh, good Heavens! Sorry to say, but having spent years in Healthcare, poor Mr. Stoltzfus’ hospital bills will come to much more than the $4,500.00 they’re asking for. Prayers for him, the family and community at this terrifying & difficult time. Sure hope they can find whoever is responsible. Sounds like a possible hit- and-run if nobody has turned themselves in to the authorities as of yet.
Omar Stoltzfus
If we all just donated $20, I’m sure it would go a long way. It’s a shame they didn’t use a Christian fund raising platform. GoFundMe charges far more than they do for this service! They would be able to collect more money that would go straight to the family. Instead GoFundMe will collect a larger portion of the money donated as their commission. I’ll keep the Stoltzfus family in my prayers, and hope you will keep us all updated on his recovery.
I saw a comment on the GoFundMe page that Omar was taken off the ventilator, was able to speak and recognized his wife. His prognosis is better but still has a long road to recovery. Prayers for this man and his family.
Well that’s great to hear. Thanks for bringing it to attention. Here’s the update from Jerry the organizer and family friend:
“Praise report!!! Omar was taken off the ventilator yesterday. He was able to speak & he recognized his wife. They are sedating him slightly to keep him from pulling IV’s & things out. Prognosis is better but he still has a long road ahead to recovery.”