Neighbors Unite to Help 77-Year-Old Farmer Hit on Alberta Highway | The Canadian News

Walking is still painful for Dean Doll, but he considers himself lucky to be on his feet.

The 77-year-old Alberta farmer spent more than two weeks in the hospital after being hit by a truck.

Doll was working in her field on Sept. 18 when she says she noticed someone get out of a vehicle and steal her 2004 Chevrolet Silverado pickup, which was parked on the side of a country road west of Spruce View.

“I was pretty furious and I flew over there,” recalls Doll.

“Suddenly, they are attacking me. This jerk just turned his truck around and took me. I flew through the air 30 to 40 feet and fell into the ditch. “

RCMP said it was struck by a newer model white pickup truck and noted that another vehicle, a blue car with a female driver, was also involved in the incident.

Doll was seriously injured and tried to crawl from the ditch. Fortunately, a neighbor saw him there.

He was transferred by STARS Air Ambulance to a Calgary hospital. As he recovered from broken bones and a concussion, his thoughts turned to his farm.

“How am I going to remove the harvest? How am I going to combine? Because I can’t even walk, ”Doll said on Thanksgiving Monday.

On September 27, the community came to the rescue in Doll’s rapeseed field. Ten harvesters and an army of more than 60 neighbors harvested the entire 200 acres of Doll.

“I think that is what most rural communities would do. I think it’s just something you do. You help someone out when they are in a bind, ”said neighbor Rob Nanninga.

“It is reconfortable. It’s good to see everyone come together. Dean is a really good community member. Dean and Janet and the whole family. They do a lot for a lot of people. It’s just a small way to give him back a little bit. “

Doll watched the harvest happen from a laptop on her hospital bed.

“They set it up so that, right at lunchtime, everyone would go out and there would be people laughing and having fun. It was wonderful to see a community come together, ”Doll said.

Doll’s stolen truck was recovered a short distance from where it was taken. RCMP believes that there were several people involved. No arrests have been made.

“We believe there were several people involved in this incident and we are hopeful that someone will present information,” Const said. Sara Devine with Innisfail RCMP in a press release on September 19.

“The white truck that struck the victim may have some damage to the front end, and we would very much like to speak to anyone who has information about this incident.”

Doll believes her story shows that there are more good things than bad in her community. He hopes that the people who did this to him get the help they need.

“So much good can come out of people when they want to. I think it’s kind of second nature, ”Doll said.