Scot’s Story

Site created on December 8, 2019

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.


Although it is still under investigation, there was an accident while Scot was operating a piece of heavy machinery at UPM.  He suffered multiple traumatic injuries, including very serious trauma to the brain.  Scot was airlifted to Duluth and eventually  stabilized after many blood transfusions. After he was stabilized, he went into emergency surgery to relieve the life-threatening hemorrhage on the left side of his brain. 


The surgeon was not sure if he would survive the surgery. However, Scot pulled through. There was still significant damage to his brain. He has many contusions on the front and left side of his brain, the extent of the damage has not yet been determined. They removed part of his skull to relieve the pressure of the swelling  on his brain. 


Scot is also suffering from 17 broken ribs, a broken arm, a broken clavicle and scapula. He has a great team of trauma doctors and nurses and a fantastic neurosurgeon who have been a blessing during this hard time. 


We have been told many times that the brain takes a long time to heal, and we have a long road ahead of us. We are grateful for all your love and prayers and are happy to send updates along the way. 


XO


The Kleinendorst Family 

Newest Update

Journal entry by Kelby Kleinendorst

Yesterday we were faced with a decision no family should ever have to make. Despite the heroic and painstaking efforts of all the medical staff at Essentia, Scot’s injuries were simply too devastating to come back from.  Scot was so strong and was fighting so hard, but there comes a time when it is no longer fair to continue to make him do that.  His progress slowed and then began to regress.  Anyone who knows Scot knows he is a tough, proud, loving, self-sacrificing and no-nonsense kind of guy.  He was fearless in so many ways and cared more about everyone else than he did himself.  Making the decision to let Scot pass was extremely hard, because of the unspeakable grief and unfillable void we now have to endure.  However, making this decision was easy when it came to what Scot would ask us to do for him if he could.  Of that we are certain.  Scot let go at 4 a.m. this morning, surrounded his loving family, including Kora and Cassie, his loyal and beloved pups.  Again, we are so unbelievably grateful for all of your support, prayers and love during this tragic time.  We will be returning to Grand Rapids today and preparing for a celebration of Scot’s life.  We will post details once we have made a plan as to how to best honor this amazing husband, father, and friend…we miss him deeply.  

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