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Well-known member
Zap family endures double tragedy
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4 hours ago • By LAUREN DONOVAN | Bismarck Tribune
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A man prominent in the North Dakota cattle industry was killed Tuesday along with his young son as the family returned from a surgery to remove a tumor from the boy's brain.
Jack Reich, 43, of rural Zap, a longtime official with the North Dakota Stockmen's Association, and his son, Vander, 10, were both killed and Mardee Reich, 39, was in serious condition following a head-on collision on a wet road about 25 miles from the Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minn., early Tuesday evening.
The Minnesota State Patrol said the driver of the other colliding vehicle also was killed.
Mardee Reich was returned to Rochester for medical care after the accident, where her condition is serious, but stable.
The family was returning home to their Zap ranch to reunite with their two other younger children, who were in the care of family and friends during the medical trip.
Julie Ellingson, director of the Stockmen's Association, said Jack Reich and his son were part of a great North Dakota story and represented rural values in their life.
"I wish they could have played out the rest of their story here on earth. Vander loved to be alongside his dad with the cattle and the horses," she said.
Ellingson said the boy's tumor was only diagnosed Oct. 22 and the surgery was scheduled less than two days later.
After healing he was going home to recuperate before beginning treatment later this month, she said.
"This is such a tragedy. They are such good-hearted people, the salt of the earth; such good, good people," she said.
Jack Reich, along with his father Delvin Reich, operated a commercial Angus cattle operation, with a well-reputed production sale annually in February at the ranch.
Jason Schmidt, of Medina, a Stockmen's officer and close friend of the Reichs, said the family created a purebred Angus operation from scratch, now selling Angus genetics to other producers.
"They put together one of the best set of cows you could ask for in this environment in North Dakota. He (Jack Reich) created it basically from scratch and in the last few years, it (purebred production) was really starting to get legs," he said.
He said his friend was a genuinely good person. "He was one of the softest, kindest-hearted cowboys you could ever meet. He had a strong handshake and a believable manner," he said.
Keith Kessler, of rural Beulah, is a longtime friend and ranch neighbor to the Reich family.
He said his friend's ranching reputation was international, due in part to his work to introduce North Dakota cattle to the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan.
"But he was just a great family man; he was known worldwide, but he was just an awesome human being," Kessler said.
Schmidt said friends rallied to help the family during the quick-occurring crisis with Vander Reich's tumor that was discovered after the young boy experienced a sudden onslaught of headaches.
"We were supporting them through that and then to have this happen is a sad situation, to say the least. The only silver lining is that the young boy was going through some tough times and now he'll always have his dad with him," Schmidt said.
Schmidt said the tragedy puts a different light on the high-profile election this week.
"There are things that are a lot more important — family and friends are what really matters in the big picture," he said.
Jack Reich served 14 years with the North Dakota Stockmen's Association, including two as its president.
Reach reporter Lauren Donovan at 701-220-5511 or [email protected].
25
PrintEmail
4 hours ago • By LAUREN DONOVAN | Bismarck Tribune
(0) Comments
Enlarge Photo
A man prominent in the North Dakota cattle industry was killed Tuesday along with his young son as the family returned from a surgery to remove a tumor from the boy's brain.
Jack Reich, 43, of rural Zap, a longtime official with the North Dakota Stockmen's Association, and his son, Vander, 10, were both killed and Mardee Reich, 39, was in serious condition following a head-on collision on a wet road about 25 miles from the Mayo Clinic at Rochester, Minn., early Tuesday evening.
The Minnesota State Patrol said the driver of the other colliding vehicle also was killed.
Mardee Reich was returned to Rochester for medical care after the accident, where her condition is serious, but stable.
The family was returning home to their Zap ranch to reunite with their two other younger children, who were in the care of family and friends during the medical trip.
Julie Ellingson, director of the Stockmen's Association, said Jack Reich and his son were part of a great North Dakota story and represented rural values in their life.
"I wish they could have played out the rest of their story here on earth. Vander loved to be alongside his dad with the cattle and the horses," she said.
Ellingson said the boy's tumor was only diagnosed Oct. 22 and the surgery was scheduled less than two days later.
After healing he was going home to recuperate before beginning treatment later this month, she said.
"This is such a tragedy. They are such good-hearted people, the salt of the earth; such good, good people," she said.
Jack Reich, along with his father Delvin Reich, operated a commercial Angus cattle operation, with a well-reputed production sale annually in February at the ranch.
Jason Schmidt, of Medina, a Stockmen's officer and close friend of the Reichs, said the family created a purebred Angus operation from scratch, now selling Angus genetics to other producers.
"They put together one of the best set of cows you could ask for in this environment in North Dakota. He (Jack Reich) created it basically from scratch and in the last few years, it (purebred production) was really starting to get legs," he said.
He said his friend was a genuinely good person. "He was one of the softest, kindest-hearted cowboys you could ever meet. He had a strong handshake and a believable manner," he said.
Keith Kessler, of rural Beulah, is a longtime friend and ranch neighbor to the Reich family.
He said his friend's ranching reputation was international, due in part to his work to introduce North Dakota cattle to the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan.
"But he was just a great family man; he was known worldwide, but he was just an awesome human being," Kessler said.
Schmidt said friends rallied to help the family during the quick-occurring crisis with Vander Reich's tumor that was discovered after the young boy experienced a sudden onslaught of headaches.
"We were supporting them through that and then to have this happen is a sad situation, to say the least. The only silver lining is that the young boy was going through some tough times and now he'll always have his dad with him," Schmidt said.
Schmidt said the tragedy puts a different light on the high-profile election this week.
"There are things that are a lot more important — family and friends are what really matters in the big picture," he said.
Jack Reich served 14 years with the North Dakota Stockmen's Association, including two as its president.
Reach reporter Lauren Donovan at 701-220-5511 or [email protected].