Benefit set for Sunday at NYM VFW

By Tucker Henderson

Reporter

It’s been seven months since Amanda Weller and her boyfriend Curt Hermanson, both local community members, took their Harley Davidson motorcycle for a Sunday ride in an attempt to enjoy that last warm days of fall on September 15, 2024. In an unfortunate accident, the couple were riding on a tar road near Two Inlets, Minn. which quickly turned to gravel without their immediate knowledge and they spun out, causing injuries to both.

Both Weller and Hermanson were airlifted to Fargo, N.D. in separate helicopters to be taken to area hospitals for treatment. Hermanson suffered five broken ribs, a broken collarbone, and a punctured lung and was treated at Essentia Health. Weller suffered a broken shoulder blade, a cracked rib and a severe head injury on her right side. She was treated at Sanford Health where they were more equipped for treating an intensive injury.

“At that point, they took out part of the skull bone on the left side, because when you hit your head, it bounces, so the swelling was on the left side and they took part of the skull bone out to relieve pressure. That was out for about six weeks,” said Weller’s mother, Barb Puckett.

“Then they put the bone back in,” added Weller’s father, Lenny Puckett. “That was in for a while and that got infected, they had to take it our for three weeks. Then they put a titanium metal in and that’s been in for about four weeks and she’s having trouble with it healing. The doctors figure she must be a slow healer, because it’s healing, but it’s slower than they’re wanting it to.”

With the surgeries on her skull, Weller’s doctors are concerned about possible infection where the opening is located. Because of this, she has a PICC line for IV and antibiotics while she is at home, where she has been able to live since she was release from the hospital. Weller’s boyfriend, Curt Hermanson, though also recovering from the accident, is able to be part of Weller’s 24-hour care team.

“We like to have somebody with her, so it might be Curt or otherwise she’d come over to our house,” said Barb. “We have a bed in the living room with handicap bars. She has been improving all the way.”

One of Weller’s hurdles is overcoming aphasia, which is a language disorder often seen in patients recovering from brain injuries or strokes, which can disrupt a person’s ability to speak, read, write and understand language. To work through this obstacle, Weller has been undergoing speech therapy and has been improving with each week that goes by.

“It’s getting better,” said Barb. “It’s better in the morning but if she gets tired, it gets a little worse, just trying to find the right words. So she’s going to speech therapy for that.”

“She is doing better,” said Lenny, “but she’s still got some recovery to do.”

“She’s still not out of the woods, but it’s been going in the right direction,” agreed Barb “She’s a strong woman and she’s had a lot of physical stuff to go through, but her spirits have been good. I think that’s just Amanda, so that makes it easier for us. We worry enough about her, she doesn’t have to, we worry enough.”

Barb said that she and Lenny have appreciated all of the support from the local community, their church family, as well as the VFW and Auxiliary members who have given their support in any way they can for Amanda.

“It’s really quite touching to us the support that they’ve given Amanda and us as well,” she said. “So we’re happy about that. We’ve felt the prayers and have been grateful for all of those.”

In an effort to help relieve some of the burden of medical costs, therapy, and daily living expenses incurred since the accident, the VFW Post #3294 Auxiliary have organized a benefit in support of their fellow member.

A Chili Feed and Silent Auction benefit will take place on Sunday, April 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the VFW Post on Highway 10 in New York Mills. Everyone is invited to attend to support Amanda on her road to recovery.