Grant Klennert is Caregiver of the Year for Dodge County’s Relay for Life

A combination of medical miracles and the support of the community of Hayfield helped Grant and Michele Klennert and their family get through appalling trials to return Michele to health a few years ago.

Just before Christmas 2018, Michele noticed uncomfortable tightness in her back and in a few weeks, she had trouble walking. After a few doctor visits, she was referred to neurology at the Mayo Clinic. On New Year’s Eve, she went in for surgery which lasted several hours. During that long wait, Grant said that his night was filled with chaotic, terrified thoughts. Would he be raising the couple’s three children by himself? Would Michele be in a wheelchair?

The couple are young — both in their 30’s — and their children at the time were 6 and 3 years old and the youngest was just 9 months old.

After the diagnosis and the surgery, in the recovery room, the first miracle happened. Michele wiggled her toes.

Thus began the journey to recovery, but it was always filled with hope. Because she wiggled her toes.

Grant remembers the incredible help they received from their families and the community of Hayfield.

“We couldn’t have done it; gotten to appointments, taken care of the children — everything that happens when your life is turned upside down — without the help of our families and the supportive people of Hayfield.”

Michelle ended up having 50 proton beam therapy treatments as well as dozens of physical therapy appointments, and the couple had to drive back and forth to Rochester from Hayfield during the winter of 2019. A few times they stayed in Rochester but mostly, they drove back and forth in snowstorm after snowstorm.

“You sure didn’t want to miss an appointment,” remembers Grant.

He remembers posting on the Caring Bridge website that they likened the time to “…fighting the battle on two fronts,” and he compared the battles to World War II.

“We had the Pacific Front — a tumor on her spine — where Michele was having proton beam therapy at all hours of the day and night and the European Front — the paralysis — which was battled with inpatient therapy and hours and hours of therapy after that.

“On the Pacific front, we continually checked on the status of the tumor. Scans revealed another tumor lower down on the spinal cord. More treatments were needed.

Meanwhile, on the European front, Michele had to relearn everything; how to get into and out of a car, into and out of a shower. But she let nothing deter her,” he said.

Grant explained that the nervous system is slow to repair, and it could take a year or two to get her mobility back. But Michele worked relentlessly.

Photo: Submitted Photo Grant Klennert, here with his family, is the Relay for Life Caregiver of the year.