Nick Gatzlaff severely injured in cycle crash

Nick Gatzlaff, 35, is hospitalized at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with serious injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident on Friday, July 22.

According to an eye witness, Gatzlaff was found in a ditch with his bike, and it is assumed that he struck a field approach and crashed into a large round bale of hay. Nick’s memory of the incident is vague due to his injuries.

Gatzlaff was transported to Windom Hospital and then airlifted to Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls.  He suffered a broken neck, clavical, and femur, along with fractured ribs.  His diagnosis is paralysis from the waist down; and the extent of paralysis to his upper body still unknown. He will undergo multiple surgeries, spend months in critical care healing, followed by multiple years of rehabilitation.

Nick is employed at FAST Industries in Windom.  The son of Doug Gatzlaff and Chris Gatzlaff of Springfield, he has two younger brothers and a sister.   He is the father of four children.