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Snowflakes are appearing around Rock County as symbols of support for a 3-year-old girl recovering from a Jan. 13 farm accident.
Nora Matthiesen, daughter of Jed and Deann Matthiesen, was outside around noon with her dad and others who were working at the family’s farm southwest of Magnolia.
No one witnessed the accident, which was reported to the Rock County Law Enforcement Office at 12:15 p.m. The caller stated that a girl had been run over by a tractor.
However, doctors at Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls have since told the family that Nora’s injuries are more consistent with being thrown to the ground by the tractor’s impact and not run over.
Her injuries are limited to her head and doctors are keeping her sedated to assist in the healing process.
Recovery is expected to take time and the 3-year-old has a long road to recovery.
Deann’s mother, Lori Popkes of Rock Rapids, is keeping friends and family updated through regular entries on Nora’s Caringbridge.com website.
In the two weeks since the accident, Nora is showing positive signs she may not have lasting physical injuries from the accident.
In her Jan. 19 Caring Bridge entry Popkes wrote, “Nora is moving all her extremities and scrunching her eyebrows frequently throughout the day today.”
By Friday breathing tubes were removed and Nora is now breathing on her own.
Doctors continue to assess the extent of her brain injury as sedatives are gradually reduced.
“The team did a great job of pointing out that Nora is well ahead of where they thought that she would be at this point,” Popkes wrote on Friday.
Donations are accepted at two local banks
Two bank locations are accepting monetary donations from the public.
Checks should be made out to Jed and Deann Matthiesen and dropped off at either the U.S. Bank in Rock Rapids or MinnWest Bank in Luverne.
Cards and letters are being collected by Popkes and shared with the Matthiesens at the address PO Box 308, Rock Rapids, Iowa 51246.
Popkes wrote that Jed and Deann are reluctant to receive donations.
“They truly feel more comfortable giving rather than receiving. We have discussed and prayed about this, and in my study Bible, I came across a part where it spoke about giving and helping as one of the most wonderful ways that we can honor God. And so, even though it is very difficult to be the receiver, we also do not want to keep someone else from having the blessing of giving/helping, if that is what they are being called to do.”
Print Express in Luverne designed shirts and hoodies with the words, “You are our sunshine,” from Nora’s favorite song. Orders to support her cause can be made online at luvprintexpress.com/nora/shop/home.
Snowflakes appear as a show of support
As a show of support, one farming neighbor encouraged hanging snowflake ornaments or decorative snowflakes on their mailboxes in support of Nora and her family as she recovers.
“My heart just broke for them as we all know in the farming community that this could be any of us,” said Amy VonHoltum. “This just seemed like an indirect way to make a meaningful tribute of support.”
VonHoltum explained the symbolism behind the snowflake in her social media post.
“When you consider the beauty of the snowflake, it is amazing how fragile yet strong and resilient it is before forming into one of God’s beautiful masterpieces,” she wrote.
“Life is much the same. Please keep those big prayers coming. I also have a hunch that this little girl loves ‘Frozen,’ and snowflakes go with the territory.”