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BENTON AG Plus
Vol. 163, No. 39
New Look. Same Local Coverage since 1854. 11 2nd Ave. N., Unit 103, Sauk Rapids, Benton County, MN 56379
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Schroeder lives with life-changing defibrillator BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
RICE — When Levi Schroeder, 37, began his new year in 2017, he considered himself a healthy individual. As an avid cyclist, he had biked an average of 1,000 miles each summer for the last 14 years. He also spent time hiking state parks and lifting at the gym; he prided himself in healthy eating. “I lifted six days a week and still lift six days a week when I don’t have my kids,” Schroeder said. “I was power lifting. … Deadlifting 485 pounds was my record. I was a total gym rat.” But Schroeder – who lives in Rice with his children, Owen, 6, and Alivia, 3 — was about to learn he was mistaken. His whole life was about to change. Despite his healthy living, the city of St. Cloud employee suffered a heart attack on Feb. 19, 2017. The day before the lifechanging event, Schroeder spent the evening at his brother’s home in Barnesville. Having a stressful weekend with ill children, Schroeder did not see his body’s signs. “I woke up in the morning, and I had a tightness in my chest,” Schroeder said. “I had a craving for coffee, caffeine for something. It was just a weird feeling, but I didn’t think anything of it. Schroeder drove from Barnesville to his parent’s home in Sauk Centre. When he arrived, he told them he was not feeling well and needed to take a nap. “I went downstairs and the second I laid down my chest was in pain,” Schroeder said. “I have been through CPR and Àrst aid, so I know all the signs of heart attacks. But like I said I was 36, lifting weights every day. For the most part I was in shape. So I was kind of in denial. “My chest … I’m sweating, I’m confused. I’m pacing. It’s straight out of a (training) video,” Schroeder said. “That is what you see on those videos, but it shouldn’t happen to me.”
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Rice resident Levi Schroeder, 37, sits with his children – Owen, 6, and Alivia, 3. Schroeder experienced a heart attack in February 2017 and now has a deÀbrillator implanted in his chest.
Alerting his parents, his dad drove him to the Melrose hospital. Schroeder tried walking through the emergency room doors while his father parked the car. As Schroeder reached the entrance he collapsed in a wheel chair. “Within minutes they had me hooked up and said you’re having a heart attack, you have 100 percent
blockage,” Schroeder said. Schroeder’s heart beats were reduced to about 35 beats per minute. He was airlifted to St. Cloud Hospital and underwent surgery to relieve his heart and put a stint in place. “The amount of relief I had coming out of that, the way I felt the 20 minutes before I got there –
the this is it, my kids aren’t going to have a dad – to go from that, to coming out of there and being in no pain what-so-ever and realizing I’m going to live. It was just the most amazing feeling coming out of the surgical center,” Schroeder said. But the road was not over. An artery wall had ruptured
in Schroeder’s heart, leading to a blood clot, blockage and then the heart attack. Schroeder spent Àvee days iin th the hospital hos ital and three and a half months rehabilitating before more bad news. The incident had stretched his heart chamber; Schroeder’s heart lost its efÀciency. He would need a deÀbrillator. “I can’t … still the thought of my kids not seeing me, I can’t talk about it without choking up,” Schroeder said. “When I
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Al’s Westside changes hands
Watab residents call for special meeting on fire Janski, Athman sold service business Jan. 2 BY MITCH COTTEW STAFF WRITER
RICE — Watab Township met for their monthly meeting Jan. 2. The agenda covered key topics for the township and much discussion on the ongoing debate about how to handle the Àre services. Steve Wollak came forward with a petition calling for a special town meeting, citing Minnesota statutes 365.15, 365.21 and 365.52. Wollak said the petition declares that the interests of the township requires a special town meeting to be held because electors at the town meeting may direct the town board whether to establish the town Àre protection service. “Therefore, we hereby call a special town meeting to be held as soon as practical to consider and determine the following questions and for the following purpose,”
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PUBLIC NOTICES – page 6 • • • •
Mortgage Foreclosure - Bjerke Mortgage Foreclosure - Sulier Benton County - RFP Sauk Rapids Notice of Public Hearing - January 22 • Mayhew Lake Township Notice • City of Rice Notice of Public Hearing - January 22
BY ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
ST. CLOUD – Al’s Westside Service, located at 301 22nd Avenue North in St. Cloud, has been a wellknown gas station and auto repair shop for over 80 years. There has been a station in the current location since the 1930s, with the current shop being built in 1952. In 1961, Al Court took the station over and named it Al’s Westside Service. Jerry Janski and Chuck Athman came into the picture in 1970 and took over the business Àve years later. Owners Janski, of Rice, and Athman, of Waite Park, have taken pride in ownership of the business for 43 years. For the partners, Al’s Westside is all they have known and has become their area of expertise. Now, their lives are changing. Janski and Athman sold the business to Maha, LLC Jan. 2. Janski stated the business will look and stay the same as Maha takes over the full-service gas station and auto repair shop. The company is now owned by Qamar Shahid and Nayyer Igbal, who operate several area businesses including Gopher Gas, Ninth Avenue Xpress and New York Gyro. “I started working here when I was 20,” Janski said. “Chuck and I took over the business when I was
Westside, Janski has had the pleasure of getting to know many customers, some of whom are repeats. “The customers are really why I’ve kept doing this,” Janski said. “They are what has made it enjoyable to come to work every day.” Many of those customers have become great friends to Janski and Athman. “I’ve gained a lot of friends out of this business,” Janski said. “They have come to trust me and Chuck and what we are doing with their vehicles. It’s all a matter of trust and, because they trust us, they keep coming back to see us for their auto needs.” Over time, Janski said the greatest change is in the cars. “The building hasn’t changed really at all in my time here and neither have the customers,” Janski said. “It’s really the cars that have changed the most. There’s a lot of technology in the vehicles now compared to when I started here. There’s also less to do on cars, but when something has to get Àxed, it’s more expensive. I’ve had to adapt to the new technologies in vehicles and learn how to Àx things. Most of the modern technology takes time and concentration to Àx.” More than the cars, it’s the people that Janski will miss most. “I will miss the people and the relationships that I’ve formed over PHOTO BY ANNA SALDANA Chuck Athman (left) and Jerry Janski sold Al’s Westside Service to Maha the years,” Janski said. “So many people have become friends. I will LLC Jan. 2. The two have owned the shop together since 1975. cherish those friendships and hope 25, and it’s been that way ever Those 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. days got to keep some of those friendships going.” since. It was time for me to slow real long.” Janski feels Al’s Westside has down and not work all of these long Janski’s last day in the shop was hours. Every day I start at 6:30 and Jan. 5. Al’s Westside page 2 somedays I’m done at 5, others at 8. During the time owning Al’s