Tractor accident leaves father pinned, under water
Son administers life-saving rescue

By MANDY SPIKES | Central Texas Edition

Jason Beckendorf holds the Rural Heroism award plaque he was given by the Texas Department of Agriculture for helping save his father, Donald, when the tractor the father was driving slipped on a wet water bank and turned over, pinning him underneath. Courtesy photo

April 22, 2004 -- Jason Beckendorf's act of saving his father's life, after a tractor overturned and pinned him under water, has earned him the Texas Department of Agriculture's 2003 Rural Heroism Award. The accident occurred in April 2003 in Marlin.

Donald explained, "On that evening, I decided to round the cows up so I could take a look at the pasture and see how much grazing was still available. I drove the tractor off in the creek to cross it where I always do, but it was wetter than I realized and I got the tractor stuck. So I walked back to the barn." By that time Jason had arrived back home. He and Donald went down to the creek to get the stuck tractor out of the creek.

Donald continued, "I moved around the tractor to get a better position. When I did, I was on an incline and the tractor started to roll back. I hit the brakes but they did not hold so I tried to quickly put it in gear, but could not get it in gear fast enough. The tractor rolled back toward the creek and over backwards it went, with me on it." All but Donald's nose and mouth were under water, and he was also impaled by a piece of rebar.

Jason, 25, was fortunately with his father at the time of the accident. When he saw that his father had become trapped under the tractor, Jason ran to his father to help him. Jason had to begin CPR, even though Donald was still trapped. Once he was able to free his father from the tractor, Donald stopped breathing again, so Jason began CPR again until his father's breathing resumed.

After stabilizing his father, Jason ran about a mile to the family's barn to have his mother call an ambulance for emergency assistance.

When Jason learned he was receiving the Rural Heroism Award, he was "shocked, excited, and confused." He had never heard of the award, yet was pleased that it existed, because he felt it was a good idea to honor people.

"But I didn't think I needed it because I just did what I had to do. I didn't leap off a 10-story building into a fiery window and save an infant."

But his father, Donald, feels his son is a hero for what he did. "If it were not for him, I would not be here. He is a hero to me and I believe that he deserves to be recognized," Donald stated.

Jason explained that his family is very close. "We all have a good time together. It's never boring around my family. Either we are laughing and having fun, or we are fixing a problem, or making decisions, or just plain milking the cows together as a family.

"Not everybody is lucky to having a loving and caring family as I have. I would be lost without any of them. You are never prepared for an accident. With this situation, I just made the best of it."

Donald Beckendorf is continuing his recovery.

The Rural Heroism Award is given every year. Candidates must have performed a heroic, lifesaving act within Texas during the prior year. The heroic deed should be related to farming or ranching and occur in a rural area.

"Accidents can happen without warning and claim lives suddenly," stated Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs. "People like Jason Beckendorf, who can keep their cool in a frightening situation where lives are at stake, are among the bravest of Texas."

For more information on the Rural Heroism Award, contact the TDA at 512-463-7476 or visit their website at www.agr.state.tx.us.