Boy who suffered eye injury while building wagon recovers, sells sweet corn

By John Lauritsen

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    RENVILLE COUNTY, Minnesota (WCCO) — This time of year, sweet corn stands are popping up across the state. But one stand in Renville County, Minnesota, is extra special for a 9-year-old boy.

Last summer, Lucas Giese nearly lost his right eye in a farm accident. The injury was so serious that doctors initially thought an infection could end his life.

“We just go like this,” said Lucas Giese while pumping his arm up and down, and getting a semi to honk in reply.

Lucas Giese and his siblings know how to bring attention to their sweet corn stand. It’s the time of year when they set up shop on Highway 212 in Sacred Heart, hoping to make some spending money.

“We put 13 in a bag or if people want a half dozen, we put a half dozen in it,” said Lucas Giese’s brother John.

But customers or no customers, Lucas Giese is just happy to be back here. A year ago, he was building a wagon on his farm, when the unthinkable happened.

“There was a door on the back, and it had a screw in it, with a string on it. I pulled the string, and the screw came out and it went into my eye,” said Lucas Giese.

“He pulled it out himself. It basically went all the way through his eye,” said Chris Giese, Lucas Giese’s dad.

Chris Giese said doctors performed an eight hour emergency surgery, trying not just to save his eye, but save his life.

“Initially, if he would have gotten an infection it could have potentially killed him,” said Chris Giese.

After surgery, recovery took months. For a while it was several trips a week to the Twin Cities to see eye doctors. But over time, Lucas Giese’s eyesight began to improve.

“It just kind of progressed and the good Lord was looking over us and everything just kind of worked the way it’s supposed to,” said Chris Giese.

Doctors have told Lucas and his family that the vision in his right eye will eventually get worse. But he won’t lose his sight completely. And those problems are far down the road.

“It’s fun but it’s boring to sit all day,” said Lucas Giese.

Still, it’s nice to be back among the sweet corn and the semis.

“The doctor, the last time we were down there, he basically called it a miracle. He said I don’t know how he can see the way he can with this,” said Chris Giese.

Lucas Giese had 20-20 vision in his right eye before the accident and it’s at 20-25 now. His family wanted to thank everyone who supported them during his recovery.

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