Mankato Free Press: Three Sleepy Eye children injured in sledding accident

Three children from Sleepy Eye were injured in a sledding accident Friday afternoon on a hill in New Ulm, according to the organizer of a fundraiser set up to help pay for the siblings’ medical expenses.

New Ulm Police Sgt. Jay Backer said the accident happened at 12:40 p.m. Friday in Harmon Park below the Hermann monument.

Zeke Piotter, 9, and his sister, Bonnie, no age listed, suffered skull fractures, and were hospitalized. Their sister, Hollie, no age listed, broke her nose, according to the article by Jacob Sklenar, the host of the GoFundMe campaign for the James Piotter family.

As of 3 p.m. Monday, $13,375 of the campaigns’ $40,000 goal had been raised.

Sklenar — host of the show “The Wisconsin Sportsman” — knows the Piotter family through a connection with Zeke, who’s known for talking about hunting and the outdoors on his social media channel “Zeke Outdoors.”

“Zeke and Bonnie are being rushed in ambulances on a two-hour drive to the Twin Cities where they will both undergo emergency surgery,” Sklenar posted Friday on GoFundMe.

“There is little certainty in any direction about what the future holds for this incredibly kind and hardworking family, but what is for sure is that it will be extremely stressful and costly.”

Sklenar’s post mentioned that Zeke’s father, James Piotter, is a military veteran.