Warriors helping Warriors

“God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be ... If one part suffers, every part suffers with it ... Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12: 18, 26, 27)

These words have been resonating deeply this year as a number of tragic events hit the Lakeside family in the summer of 2021. And as we “suffered with” each other, Warriors immediately—and most importantly—began praying. Then they joined in the many community responses for these families. From cash donations to cleanup, from Scoopie Nights to Pint Nights, from breakfasts to auction donations, from bake sales to banners— tangible expressions of that Christian love have been poured out. And the prayers continue!

Brian Hafenstein (‘86) family

On Wednesday, June 16, Forever Warrior Brian Hafenstein’s (‘86) wife, Tammy, and future Warrior, 12-year-old Sarah, were involved in a car accident. Tammy passed away at the scene, and Sarah was airlifted to American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison with critical injuries. Miraculously, just 65 days after the accident, Sarah left the hospital. Even with a long road of recovery still ahead, she was able to join her 6th grade classmates on the first day of school in August. Sarah’s siblings are also Lakeside grads: Danny (‘11), Dustin (married to Lisa Scott, both ‘15), and Laura (‘17).

A public Facebook group, Healing Hands for Sarah, has more than 1,600 members. A GoFundMe page raised more than $50,000 for the more than two months the family essentially lived at the hospital. Fundraisers were held throughout the summer. Their home church, St. Paul, Lake Mills, held a t-shirt sale. In the days before Sarah came home, Warriors headed to the Hafenstein house, joining to help with some final construction and to make the home more accessible. Since then, a scholarship fund has begun in Tammy’s memory. Donate at bit.ly/hafensteinfund.

The Hafenstein family at Laura’s LLHS graduation in 2017. Back, L–R: Danny, Dustin, Brian. Front: Sarah, Laura, Tammy

Zastrow/Neumann families

At 1:15 a.m. on Thursday, July 29, an EF1 tornado in Concord left a wake of destruction—hitting some Lakeside family members especially hard— and Warriors immediately pitched in to help. At the Zastrow farmstead, Lloyd and Karen Zastrow saw house damage, and they lost their equipment as well a barn built during the Civil War. The house of Forever Warriors Jim (‘80) and Mary Zastrow and daughter Colleen (‘14) was pulled from its foundation. Their house needs a complete rebuild.

Among other damage, an EF1 tornado July 29 at the Lloyd Zastrow family homestead in Concord flattened a Civil War-era barn.

Clean-up crews: among dozens who assisted were Forever Warriors Liz Loppnow and Ben Neumann, both ‘21, (top) and rakers Abigail Buxa, Kaitlyn Shadoski, both ‘19, and Beth (Duddeck ‘88) & daughter Brielle Leis (‘24).

The roof was ripped off the home of Rebecca (Zastrow ‘95) and Brian Neumann and their 4 boys (Ethan ‘19, Ben ‘21, Evan ‘24, and Luke ‘29) and many possessions destroyed by water. The house needed to be gutted for repair.

Jim’s son Kyle (‘08) shared, “We cannot thank everyone enough for everything they did for our family in the cleanup effort following the tornado. We couldn’t be more appreciative of what friends, family, co-workers, the community, and even complete strangers, have done for us! We are making progress and will continue to keep moving forward as we rebuild!”

The Krauklis family pitched in. L–R: Luke (‘24), Ben (‘25), dad Brandon, Rebecca (Zastrow ‘95) Neumann, Selah & Jenny (Nommensen ‘98) Krauklis, Rachel (Zastrow ‘98) Clevenstine.

Jim Zastrow’s (‘80) home requires total reconstruction.

Jonah Heyerholm (‘23)

On Sunday, August 22, LLHS junior Jonah Heyerholm was involved in a sudden and catastrophic boating accident. He was rushed to UW Hospital where trauma staff worked diligently to repair a severed femoral artery in his right leg and multiple other serious injuries. Over the course of almost six weeks in the hospital, he underwent surgery after surgery to debride, repair, and assess the injury.

Now recovering at home, Jonah’s ultimate outcome is still unknown and recovery could take years. “God has walked each and every minute of this road with us,” says Rita, his mom. “He has provided persons to provide strength: from each of our families, to our work ‘families,’ to Jonah and Noah’s school ‘families’, to the enormous army of prayer warriors all around continuing to lift his name up to our Heavenly Father. He has heard our prayers as we continue this journey.”

Lakeside students rallied with Jonah, creating rubber bracelets for “Team Jo,” posting a sign in the outdoor bleacher fence, donating to help the family, and more. To follow Rita’s updates on Warrior Jonah’s journey, visit mealtrain.com/trains/r5rog7/updates

Jonah Heyerholm’s family hung this banner—signed by many of his LLHS classmates promising to be his prayer warriors—in his room for the almost six weeks he was hospitalized.

Jonah’s mom writes updates that speak of God’s grace and strength. They ask for continued prayers. The Heyerholms are grateful for notes of encouragement. Email them at HeyJonah2021@gmail.com