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A
Brush with Death
Most airplane engines of the time did not have
electric starters and were hard to start once
stopped. Common practice was to keep the
engine running while passengers were loading and
unloading.
Max and one of his students, Bob Rumick were flying
to Minneapolis but landed in Frontenac where Bob's
aunt owned a hotel. After lunch they were persuaded
to give rides, the last ride was to Bob's cousin
and her friend. Bob's cousin jumped to the ground
towards the spinning prop and Max tried to save
her. Max was hit by the tip of the propeller
in the head.
Doctors at the hospital in Red Wing called his
parents and told them he was dying. Max's
mother called her brother-in-law an attending
physician at the Mayo Clinic and begged him to
find a neurosurgeon who could come and look at
Max. After five days, Max awoke from a coma.
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