In an instant, a season of joy suddenly turned dark for the Winterstein family.
Just weeks after welcoming his first child, Patrick Winterstein — a dedicated lineman and husband — was severely injured in a workplace accident.
The Clay County man was electrocuted while working on the line, suffering extensive burns and trauma.
“This tragedy has struck during what should be one of the happiest times of their lives, adjusting to life as a new family,” their doula wrote in a GoFundMe post that has already raised nearly $50,000 as of Monday.
Winterstein was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and placed in intensive care.
The injuries left him with severe burns across much of his body, and his future remains uncertain, friends said.
But Patrick, known by friends and family as a fighter, is now showing signs of progress.
Over this past weekend, his condition took a hopeful turn, prompting doctors to move him from the burn facility to the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation unit.
ECMO is a life-saving medical treatment used for patients whose heart and/or lungs are severely damaged and unable to function properly on their own.
His fever, once dangerously high, has now stabilized.
But now, in the coming days, he will undergo his first surgery to begin treating his burns — the first step in what will be a long and painful recuperation.
At home, Alanie — his wife and high school sweetheart — is grappling with the heartbreak of her husband’s condition while caring for their newborn son, according to the post.
With Patrick unable to work and extensive medical bills on the horizon, the fundraiser will help cover essential living costs, ongoing medical care, and temporary housing near the hospital so Alanie and the baby can remain close by.
“Your support, whether through donations or simply by sharing this page, means more than words can express,” the campaign states. “Let’s come together in faith and love to support this incredible family. We serve a miracle-working God, and through continued prayer and your generosity, we believe Patrick will pull through.”
