By KANDACE MCCOY

kandace.mccoy@register-news.com

WALTONVILLE — A benefit has been planned this weekend to help a family offset expenses following an accident which occurred in January.

Kurt Mischke was attempting to put out a chimney fire at his home when he fell off the roof, sustaining multiple injuries which could potentially keep him off work for six months to a year.

“It was 3:30 a.m. and I was getting ready for work ... and I saw the flue pipe was fire red and ran into the house [and told my wife Melody],” Mischke recalls. “I grabbed a garden hose and tried to put it out and decided to climb up on the roof.”

That day, Jan. 16, was one of the coldest days in Jefferson County — so cold that Waltonville School District, where the Mischkes’ children attend, canceled classes for that day. While Mischke attempted to put out the fire in the chimney flue, the water froze directly on the roof of his home. And when Mischke attempted to further check the fire, he fell — about 11 feet to the ground.

“In my eyes, he flew off the roof,” said Melody Mischke. “It was kind of surreal. I went over to him — he was unconscious, covered in blood and gurgling. I knew I had to move fast, but my body couldn’t move.”

While Melody called 911, she instructed her oldest daughter, Shaygna to get as many blankets as possible to cover Kurt to protect him from the cold. Fourteen blankets were put over him until emergency responders arrived at their home.

As a result of his fall, Kurt received injuries to his upper body, including a broken nose, dislocated jaw and shoulder, broken arm and blown elbow and many of his upper teeth knocked loose.

Kurt spent three days in the critical care unit at St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital, receiving local care from Dr. Jimmy Chow, who reset his broken arm twice.

“We’re so fortunate,” Melody said. “We have been blessed from the moment it happened.”

“We’re thankful for a lot of things,” Kurt said.

However, Kurt’s arm is not healing as progressively as doctors would hope. The titanium mesh in his elbow is not working as doctors would like, despite Kurt’s physical therapy twice a week. More surgery on his arm is possible which could potentially leave him off of work from six months to a year.

In an effort to help the family offset costs and income missed, a benefit luncheon has been planned for the Mischke family on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Woodlawn Community Building. A menu of pulled pork sandwiches, chips, cole slaw, dessert and a drink for $5 a plate will be available as well as a silent auction and raffle.

“It’s all about helping your neighbor,” remarked Chris Colgrave, a friend of the family who has helped organize the benefit. “I guarantee I could sit and list a million reasons why I should help Kurt and Melody, they’ve helped me so much. It just makes the world a better place; helping others makes you feel good. The economy is down and you look around and see all the sad and bad stuff going on, but when you can help someone else, it makes you feel good.”

“We’re in awe,” Melody said of the benefit. “We’re very quiet people. We don’t get out much and the fact there are so many people who have come forward ... people have been so kind. Thank you just doesn’t cut it.”

“We’ve lived here [in Waltonville] for six years and people I’ve never met before are showing up to help,” Kurt noted. “One neighbor even said, ‘It shouldn’t have taken an accident, but here I am ready to help.’”

Kurt is the son of Patricia and the late Ralph Mischke of Woodlawn, and Melody is the daughter of Jerry and Mary Lappin of Scheller. Kurt has been employed at CPC Logistics for 11 years as a truck driver, and Melody has been a bus driver for Sherman Bus Service for nine years.

They have five children, Shaygna 17, Haylee 14, Wyatt 8, and twins Landon and Lillian, 5.