Friends help finish disaster cleanup after family tragedy

ELKHART, Iowa — Friends came out on Tuesday morning to help Max and Elizabeth Bechtol with the clean up of their place. Last winter a fire destroyed two buildings after a brush fire got out of hand. Their son Michael was running to get his phone, when he died of a heart attack.

“They were in Arizona on vacation this winter and their son was here and he was burning brush out back and it got away from him,” said Joan Jensen, a friend of the family. “He was running toward the house to get his phone when he died of a heart attack in the yard and everything burned and it’s a mess out there so we came to help clean it all up.”

Max had a stroke nine months ago, and both he and Elizabeth have battled cancer. Max was on hand to watch the work today, and enjoyed conversations with his long-time friends.

“Michael was the oldest of three kids, he was 57 years old heart problems since he was a baby,” said Max. “Also we had a hog shed and chicken house that all burned up.”

As the work crew gathered for a noon-time lunch they were thanked for coming out to help.

“I can’t begin to thank all of you enough for coming to help Max and Liz today we’re grateful for your presence were grateful for your help,” said JoAnn Adamson, the couple’s long-time friend.

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