Pam Gregor was a guest speaker at a Minneota Veterans Memorial service.

Gregor, Klug hurt in head-on crash

*Minneota Veteran Pam Gregor is in serious condition in Hennepin County Hospital. Klug also injured as car rolls six times.

Two Minneota residents were among four people injured Saturday afternoon in a head-on crash on state Highway 23 west of Richmond.
Most seriously injured was Pam Gregor, 52 of Minneota, along with Jim Klug, 48, also of Minneota.
Gregor received life-threatening injuries, according to the report, and was air-lifted to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.
Her passenger, James Klug, as well as Eric Lee Stein, 35 of Willmar and Crystal Dawn Stein, 35, of Willmar, were all taken to St. Cloud Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
The Minnesota State Patrol reported the accident happened around 3 p.m. in Munson Township, Stearns County. The accident was between Richmond and Paynesville.
According to the report, the 2003 Chevy Trailblazer driven by Eric Stein was traveling eastbound on Highway 23.
 The car crossed the center line and crashed head on with the 2010 GMC Terrain driven by Gregor.
She was traveling west on Highway 23. Gregor’s car was reportedly pushed over the guardrail and rolled into the ditch.
According to Stephanie Christoffels, Gregor’s daughter, “Her vehicle flipped over a guardrail and rolled six times down a steep ditch.”
“Her injuries include broken ribs on both sides, lacerations on her spleen and intestines, collapsed and bruised lungs, a broken femur, broken hip, fractured lumbar vertebrae, a fracture to the inside of her ankle, and many cuts and bruises,” said Christoffels in a report on Gregor's “Caring Bridge" page.
 Gregor currently is in the SICU at HCMC in Minneapolis in critical but stable condition. 
 Klug was brought by ambulance to the St. Cloud Hospital and treated for a broken elbow and fractured lumbar vertebrae (he’ll be having surgery on the elbow later).

ACCORDING TO Christoffels, her “whole family (except her brother Paul) attended the Monster Dash in the Twin Cities."
Christoffels ran in the event and her mother Pam was there to cheer her on. Pam ran the 5K and four grandkids joined them for the 2.5 K (two in strollers). They went out to eat, “Then we all departed for our homes,” Christoffels said.
Christoffels wrote about the accident, “Jim (Klug) said it seemed like it took forever for them to start rolling. They were pushed back quite a ways and over a guardrail, where they rolled six times, landing on the passenger side.”
She added, “Mom was driving, and the engine and steering column were pushed right into her chest.”
Apparently, Gregor managed to get out of her seatbelt and, “Talked to Jim. (Klug).”
The driver in the vehicle behind them called 911 right away and was one of the first on the scene to help get them out. I don’t know who the man was, but to him I say thank you so very much.”
According to Christoffs, “They had to break the windshield to get them out of the vehicle.  When the paramedics arrived on the scene, Mom said she was having a hard time breathing.  They immediately intubated her and air evacuated her to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis (a level one trauma center).”
Gregor was in surgery for at least four hours.
“She had internal bleeding and had to receive four pints of blood during surgery. They worked to control internal bleeding for a cut to her spleen and tears to her mesentery (the membrane around the intestines that control the blood supply), and put a traction pin in her left femur,” said Christoffels.
 “She has an open fracture in her femur and a fracture in the surgical neck of her hip (right now they are unsure the extent of that fracture).  She had a pneumothorax to her left lung, causing her lung to collapse.”
Christoffels report continued by saying, “She has extensive bruising in her lungs right now.  Her right foot has a fracture to the medial malleolus (the inside bump on the ankle) and has broken ribs on both sides, and fractures in her lumbar vertebrae. 

“We are not sure the extent of those as of yet,” she said.
Another surgery was slated to repair the damage to her femur and hip.
Surgery had to wait until her lungs became stronger.
She was in critical, but stable condition.
“She’s been opening her eyes today when we talk to her, squeezing our hands, and communicating with head nods/shakes and writing on our hands. That’s a positive sign,” wrote Christoffels.
“She has no brain injuries that we know of right now, so we are thankful for that."
Christoffels wrote, “Jim (Klug) said it seemed like it took forever for them to start rolling.  They were pushed back quite a ways and over a guardrail, where they rolled six times, landing on the passenger side.”
She said, “Mom was driving, and the engine and steering column were pushed right into her chest.  She managed to get out of her seatbelt and talked to Jim. The driver in the vehicle behind them called 911 right away and was one of the first on the scene to help get them out. I don’t know who the man was, but to him I say thank you so very much.”
According to Christoffels, “They had to break the windshield to get them out of the vehicle.  When the paramedics arrived on the scene, Mom said she was having a hard time breathing.  They immediately intubated her and air evacuated her to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis (a level one trauma center).”
Christoffels said, “Mom was in surgery for at least four hours as they worked to patch her up.  She had internal bleeding and had to receive four pints of blood during surgery."
“This is going to be a long recovery, since she has fractures on both legs. Since she is in the ICU, we need to limit visitors,” Christoffels said.
“We’re taking this one day at a time,” she added.
Assisting the State Patrol at the scene were officers from the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department and Cold Spring Police Department.
The report said all four were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident.

 

Jim Klug

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