The Daily Dispatch

Although the faith of a Wolverton, Minn., family of five has been tested to the maximum, they're staying strong and supporting the head of the household, Keith Nelson, 48, as he slowly recovers from a brain injury.

They've also become advocates against drunk driving — the cause of Keith's accident May 2, 2009, where he not only experienced severe head injuries but also fractured 12 ribs and endured numerous scrapes and bruises. Keith was hit by 51-year-old Sandra McGregor at approximately 9:30 p.m. near Walcott as he was driving home from his second job assisting a Richland County farmer.

"She was cited for drunk driving that night. She was three times over the legal limit," said Keith's wife of 22 years, Missy Nelson.

McGregor, Nelson added, failed to yield at an intersection heading south, and T-boned her husband, who was heading east.

More than six months after the accident, Keith is home but must be supervised 24 hours a day due to his memory loss. He must be brought to cognitive skills therapy three times a week and is still using a tracheal tube for airway management.

"We don't know for sure if he'll get rid of that, that's the goal, in another year's time to deal with that," Nelson said.

The tracheal tube is minimal, though, Nelson added, who knows there may be many more frustrating years ahead dealing with Keith's brain injury.

"I think there's days you just become angry, it's just so frustrating. But we're fortunate that he's still with us," Nelson said. "I think that's what keeps us going."

Although Keith is struggling with brain damage, he is thankful he's alive. Still, he's unable to perform parental duties like he did prior to the accident, which Nelson said has been a big loss for the couple's three children. Instead of being guided in the right direction by their father, they've become the caregiver.

"That's been a big change," Nelson said.

Beyond the ramifications of Keith's accident, Nelson became even more frustrated as she was unsatisfied with McGregor's sentence. On July 13, McGregor was ordered in Southeast District Court to pay $800 in miscellaneous criminal court fees for driving under the influence of alcohol. She was ordered to serve no jail time, but was subject to perform 16 hours of community service and complete a chemical dependency evaluation.

"As far as I know there was no loss of license with her," Nelson said. "North Dakota law, as I've researched, they are so lax and lenient in comparison to Minnesota."

Although Nelson has been in contact with local legal counsel, she's been informed there would be no more charges filed against McGregor. And while she'll continue to do research into North Dakota drunk driving laws, she hopes to spread word of the dangers of the act around her community and in the surrounding area.

"I feel like I've gotten nowhere being an advocate in North Dakota. I think if it's going to get anywhere, it's gotta be the North Dakota residents that take a stand," Nelson said.

A group of Wolverton residents who call themselves "friends of Keith" have organized a benefit to help the Nelson family with medical expenses.

"I say 'friends of Keith' because there was just an overwhelming response in the community. It's the entire community that's been very concerned about them," said Jodi Tracy, a co-organizer of the benefit.

The benefit is set for Saturday, Nov. 21 just 2 1/2 miles from Wolverton, in Christine, N.D., at the Eagle Valley Evangelical Free Church. From 8 a.m.-1 p.m. volunteers will serve up a pancake breakfast, and attendees can bid on items in a silent auction.

"They've been a part of the community for so long," Tracy said. "It's just really sad when you see somebody that you know have to struggle so hard."

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