Don Schrader

A longtime local farmer came to the aid of his farmhand during a scary incident involving machinery in a field west of Red Bud during the morning of April 12.

“God was on our side,” Don Schrader told the Republic-Times.

Schrader, who has served as president of the Monroe County Fair Association for many years, was working in his field along MM Road off Kaskaskia Road with 29-year-old farmhand Brad Luther of Waterloo when an accident occurred.

Schrader said a cylinder had broken on an anhydrous toolbar applicator that was being pulled by a four-wheel drive tractor in the field. 

“I got pinned between the tire and the frame of the implement I was working on,” Luther said. 

Luckily, Schrader was close by.

“I had to get him out,” Schrader said. “He was unconscious and it had shut his circulation.”

Schrader was able to free Luther from the machinery and perform CPR. Luther regained consciousness within a short amount of time.

“It sure was a scary time, but the good Lord helped us get him out,” Schrader said. “I just did what needed to be done.”

The Waterloo Fire Department was paged to respond to the incident, as were Red Bud first responders and Monroe County EMS. 

Luther received medical treatment on scene and was transported by ambulance to an area hospital for observation.

The only thing Luther had to show for his ordeal was a petechial rash on his chest from the lack of oxygen, and minor swelling that was gone within a day or two.

“I’m a lot better than I could have been. The doctor said it was a good thing I was young and healthy.”

Waterloo Fire Chief Aaron Shive praised Schrader for a job well done.

“That was an amazing thing, what he did,” Shive said. “He should be proud of his quick actions.”

Luther agrees.

“I couldn’t ask for anyone better to work for,” he said. “I owe my life to him.”

Luther has worked for Schrader for six years.

“It happened really fast,” Luther said of the accident. “I passed out really quickly. The next thing that happened is I was waking up. I was more or less taking a nap, then I was awake again. I’m sure the situation was much worse for him.

“It was a freak accident, but thank God he was there.”