Nobles County deputy who suffered TBI in crash fights to get stronger
The wife of a Nobles County, Minnesota, deputy says his journey back from a traumatic brain injury is progressing slowly.
On April 13 Deputy Logan Waldner was helping with an accident reconstruction along I-90, near Worthington. At one point he climbed back into his patrol car, and that's when he was rear-ended by a speeding driver on her phone.
"If it wasn't for him getting back in his vehicle, it would be a whole, different story at this time," said Amber Waldner, Logan Waldner's wife.
Being inside the patrol car likely saved Logan Waldner's life, but it couldn't save him from a traumatic brain injury.
"He had three brain bleeds and two major strokes," said Amber Waldner.
He spent 28 days in ICU and in a coma. Since then, he's been transferred to a rehabilitation center in Omaha, Nebraska, where his wife has joined him while family watches their two young kids back in Minnesota. Amber Waldner said the road to recovery is long.
"Unfortunately, we haven't seen as much progress as we were hoping for right now at this time," said Amber Waldner. "He's having to relearn his memory, his speech, his sentencing."
But he has made progress when it comes to walking. Three times a week, he gets help from a robot.
"When they started off the machine was doing 100% of the work," said Amber Waldner. "50% is him doing it and 50% is the machine doing it," said Amber Waldner.
While Logan Waldner may be recovering two states away, he's not forgotten back home.
"It's been absolutely amazing. That's where I get the most emotional. The law enforcement community has been amazing and just Worthington as a whole," said Amber Waldner.
As support pours in, Amber Waldner wants people to know how this crash has changed their lives.
"I think the biggest message I can say is the people on the sides of the roads are somebody's family," said Amber. "Just be aware."
Logan Waldner will have surgery to reattach part of his skull in September, and he's hoping to go home by January.
Investigators said the 63-year-old driver who hit Logan Waldner was on her phone and going more than 80 mph at the time of the crash.
She has been charged with criminal vehicular operation and will make her first court appearance later this month.