• 
• 

Logan Vanderkleed

Logan was energetic. He enjoyed climbing, dancing, and singing. He loved riding in daddy’s tractor, spending time at the shop on the farm, and watching tractor videos online. Logan enjoyed snacking on M&M’s, cookies, and Oreo yogurt. He loved to pray and hug!

August 24, 2017 started as a normal day for our family and ended up being the worst day of our lives.

Logan and his five-year-old sister, Kendra, had just gotten back to the family’s Lafayette farm from lunch with Dad and Grandpa.  It was hot. It was nap-time, so Daddy decided to leave the children in the car with the AC on, about 30 feet from where Daddy and Grandpa were working, so they could keep an eye on them.

Kendra fell asleep. It is unknown whether or not Logan actually fell asleep.  However, at some point Logan must have been playing with the back passenger car window and somehow rolled the car window down and then back up again, catching his neck. When Daddy looked over to check on the kids, there Logan was, his neck trapped and hanging outside the car window. Immediately Grandpa started CPR as Logan was pulseless.  Then the medics continued care for roughly 30 minutes before rushing him to the nearest hospital.  From there, he was Life-Lined to Riley Children’s Hospital where he fought for a week before he finally went to be with the Lord.

Everything changed in an instant. It only took a brief moment for him to roll that window up on himself.

Accidents happen, but they can be prevented. The vehicle Logan was in had a toggle switch to roll the window up and down, so the lever can easily be confusing.  Newer vehicles have safer power window switches thanks to a regulation that was passed in 2008. The auto-reverse features can also now be found in the front seats of many vehicles. We hope that all new vehicles will come with auto-reverse on ALL windows, especially the back seat windows where children ride. If our vehicle had the safer power window switches or auto-reverse feature, Logan might still be with us today.

While accidents happen, we pray that others will learn from this so that the same accident will not happen to their family. While we wish we had Logan with us still here on Earth, luckily we have peace knowing Logan is with the Lord and we will see him again one day.

Donate in honor of Logan