Mountain farming family

Death in the tractor: “Dad is now in heaven!”

The little boy who lost his dad is inconsolable.

(Bild: zVg)

A family father from Upper Styria fell 200 meters down a steep slope with his tractor. There was no help for him, he died instantly. His widow and three children were left behind, completely devastated.

It used to be the little boy's great passion: running into the barn with shining eyes straight after kindergarten to look after the cows. Riding along on the tractor, feeding the chickens, stroking the cats. In the old days. That was before his dad was taken from him in a tragic accident. "Now he goes straight to his room and only comes out to eat. Nothing comforts him," says his mom. Because his dad is no longer there. And will never come back.

A glimpse of happy days gone by: the boy and his dad with their cows on the mountain pasture.

(Bild: zVg)

January 7th was the fateful day. In the house, which clings to the steep mountain like a nest at 1200 meters above sea level, the firewood was running low. "My husband wanted to get some from the forest," the widow remembers the day, which had begun like many before it. Only this was different: "It was strange that our dog 'Benno', who usually came with him, didn't get into the tractor but wanted to go into the house, which surprised us." But the five-year-old wanted to go with his dad, as he often did.

Was it a strange feeling? Some dark premonition? "I didn't let the boy go," says his mom. "It was so cold and there was so much snow outside."

With four chains on the tractor, the 47-year-old drove off to one of the steep slopes of the mountain farm to fetch firewood from the forest. "But he didn't come back at the agreed time, didn't answer his cell phone or respond to any messages. I knew straight away that something had happened. Something terrible."

It took three hours to recover the tractor involved in the accident.

(Bild: Thomas Zeiler)

And then a local resident called. According to the Styrian, he had accidentally seen the tractor skidding down the meadow the wrong way. The man from Upper Styria grabbed his binoculars and watched as his neighbor in the tractor slid down a good 200 meters, helplessly, unstoppably. The vehicle finally overturned and came to a halt. Nobody got out. There was only silence. He saw the death of his friend. It took three hours to rescue him in the rough terrain, but there was no help for the victim.

The family is devastated. They have not "only" lost their husband, father and son, they are now alone. There are 40 suckler cows to look after, hay to make, wood to chop and much more - an incredible amount to do. Getting professional help on the mountain farm seems almost impossible. A few sympathetic neighbors and relatives have promised support. And the first "vultures" are already circling over the old mountain farm, which is also still in debt. "Some people are already trying to buy our house very cheaply and say: it can't last anyway," says the widow bitterly. But to lose their home after losing their beloved husband? That is out of the question for the wife and her three children - two of whom are already older. The three of them, who had already worked hard around the house and farm, are now working even harder. "We won't let them take our home away from us." 

Account is frozen
The family is still unaware of the financial avalanche they are facing. It is not yet clear how much they owe on the house. What is certain is that the husband's account has been frozen and they currently have no money! The money for her husband's cremation had to be scraped together with great difficulty. Apart from the fact that keeping suckler cows and selling wood is hardly enough to keep a family afloat anyway.

"Where is daddy, when will he finally come home?" the five-year-old often asks, crying into his rabbit's fur. "Daddy's in heaven now," mom tries to explain to him. "He's protecting you from above." Words that are supposed to comfort. But they can't.

„Die Krone hilft - Steiermark“

Helfen wir der Familie!

No one can bring back the head of the Styrian family. But "Die Krone hilft - Steiermark" would at least try to help the widow and her three children financially to get through the worst quickly. If you would like to support us: Account number AT152081500044569523, KW Traktor. The donations will benefit the family 100 percent and are tax-deductible.