An Ottertail man, Mark Johnson, who was severely injured in a kite boarding accident Saturday afternoon on Otter Tail Lake, is recovering after being taken by ambulance to the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) in Minneapolis. Johnson, 55, suffered a broken neck and was treated at the HCMC’s neurosurgery trauma center.
His daughter, Katherine Johnson, Grand Forks, said her father will recover although it will take several months of healing and rehabilitation.
Johnson was kite boarding, or as some call it snow-kiting, when the accident took place about 4 p.m. Saturday. He was carried off the lake by neighbors, paramedics and the Ottertail rescue team. After being taken from the lake to the hospital in Perham, he received very thorough preliminary care prior to the transfer to Minneapolis.
“These people saved my father’s life, and for that we’ll always be thankful,” said Katherine Johnson.
“All of the rescue people deserve the recognition,” Katherine Johnson said. “As a family, our goal is to help prevent others from experiencing similar injuries or dangerous situations.”
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Kiteboarding, Kitesurfing, and Snow kiting are always going to have their dangers no matter how much safer the equipment gets each season. It’s always recommended to know your setup inside and out, for the reason that you may need to rely on your safty system to get you out of a hairy situation one day.