Archer, Iowa — An Archer man has received a second award for his actions in helping save the life of a Dordt student in the moments after her car was struck by a semi near Carnes nearly two years ago.
On May 15, 2019, Richard Ludeke and his wife Miriam were returning from Sioux City when they witnessed a loaded tanker truck collide with a car that had turned into the truck’s path. The Ludekes’ immediately stopped and rendered aid to the driver of the car, Dordt student Mindi Wickstrom, who had been critically injured in the crash, helping to keep her alive until medical help arrived. Wickstrom was airlifted to a Sioux City hospital and has since recovered from her severe injuries. Richard and Miriam Ludeke were able to meet Wickstrom several months later, at Carnes, answering many questions she had about a crash she couldn’t recall.
This past November, the Ludekes’ received a letter informing them that they were to be awarded the Iowa Governor’s Lifesaving Award for their actions that day. The ceremony to present that award had to be delayed due to the pandemic and is still to be scheduled at some future date.
Monday morning (March 29, 2921) Richard Ludeke, who is the Postmaster at Archer, received the National Post Office Life Saving Hero Award. He says that very soon his name and picture will be going to every U.S. Post Office in the nation in their “Link” letter and will be featured in the Postal Service Headquarters Heroes Wall in Washington D.C.
Photo courtesy of Richard and Miriam Ludeke
