Minnesota Prairie Roots

I COULDN’T SEE SCOTT HOFFBECK’S FACE, only his crumpled, motionless body lying in the middle of Willow Street outside my home, a corner street light barely illuminating the scene. His Harley Davidson motorcycle lay nearby. My husband, Randy, and I heard the 9 p.m. August 26 crash that injured Scott, then rushed out to help.

Scott survived that crash between his bike and a car, but not without serious injuries. He was taken by ground ambulance from the scene directly to the Faribault Airport and airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. Weeks later, the 61-year-old rural Faribault man remains hospitalized, recovering from his injuries.

He’s made progress while healing from a severely broken pelvis, internal injuries, a head injury and multiple surgeries. But he has a long road of recovery ahead.

With each passing day, I’ve thought of Scott, worried about him, prayed for him. And when his partner, Laurie Kagan, stopped by recently to thank us and to update us on Scott’s condition, I felt such gratitude for that visit.

Now Kagan has started a GoFundMe to support Scott and to help ease some of the financial burden which accompanies trauma like this. The goal is $16,000. Because of that online fundraiser, I finally saw Scott’s face for the first time. The man in the featured photo appears “goofy and fun,” as Kagan describes Scott, also known as “Scooter.”

Kagan writes: Please consider donating, sharing this fundraiser, and keeping Scooter and his loved ones in your prayers. Every dollar, every share, and every prayer truly makes a difference. Scooter has given so much of himself to others, and now it is our turn to rally around him. Come on, Scooter—we need that goofy smile back. Keep fighting, buddy.

In those words, I read love. I read encouragement. I read faith and hope and strength.

Some day I hope to meet Scooter, the guy with the goofy smile, the guy who is “always the first to show up for others when they need a hand.” The guy who, today, needs our support and prayers.

FYI: Click here to reach Scott’s GoFundMe page. Thank you for considering a donation to his fundraiser.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling