A friend if mine had been trying to cut down a 70' tree that was dead but he just couldn't get it to fall. For some reason he told his wife the tree was a widow maker. He told her that several times and she told him to shut up and quit saying that. Well Saturday I got a call from his wife that she thought he was dead and asked me to come out to the land. I didn't know what I could do and it took me about 45 minutes to get there. I got there and the EMS and Sheriff and State Patrol were there. The man had been cutting again on the widow maker tree and he put the chain saw down and was using a tree limb trying to push the tree over. All of sudden the wife didn't see him and she called out his name. He didn't answer and she went to check on him. She saw him laying face down and he was twitching. She rolled him over and he looked really bad. She called 911 and ran to the neighbors house to get them to come help or maybe do something. The EMS got there and he sure enough was dead. It seems he might have had a heart attack and was probably dead before he hit the ground. We had to wait about three hours for the JP to come pronounce the death and the funeral home to come take the body. As we were waiting the subject of life insurance came up and she said he had a one million dollar policy. I thought he couldn't afford a policy like that and asked how much he was paying and was he up to date on payments. She said he paid like $9.95 a month bank draft which I thought was not high enough premium. She said he had called the insurance company about six months ago because another company was holding the policy. He asked was the policy the same one million coverage and they said he was covered as long as it wasn't suicide or act of war. Later that night when at her house she brought out the insurance policy for me to look at. Oh my gosh she will not get a single penny! The policy is an accidental life insurance policy only. I think it was so wrong the company didn't explain to him it was an accidental policy only. He didn't carry insurance on any of his loans figuring the million dollars would take care of everything. Only hope she has financially now is if she can claim widow benefits from SS as he was 60 years old. Well he was, sorry to say, that the tree was a widow maker. The tree still stands. Hopefully a good strong wind will take it down.
Man, that's a rough story, straightshooter. My heart goes out to his widow and everything she is going to have to endure going forward. A really sad deal.....
Years ago a friend of mine in Northern MN got unzipped from belly button to the middle of his sternum when he was standing too close to his partner who was cutting cord wood. The chainsaw hit a knot and the blade bounced up. I didn't ask, but it is my guess my friend had a foot on the log to keep it from rolling...or was in some way trying to help and got way too close. He survived and luckily his heavy winter coat saved him from a very serious situation.
Straightshooter, the family is in my prayers! But I have to tell you, that's the way I want to go. Not in front of my family, but working outside and quick! I'm ready, but not willing, lol. Sorry you experienced all this, but you are there for a reason.
Yep same here...I want it to happen quick and in a safe manner so nobody is put in danger. I am not pushing for it to happen any time soon but yeah let it be quick when it does.
That sucks, all I have since I retired is accidental too, losing my with work ending. Hard on survivors. My thoughts are with her. Sent from my iPhone using Marlin Forum
UPDATE. The widow maker couldn't stand up to mother nature. Mother nature finished what my friend tried to do. We have been having some really strong winds the last few days and the widow maker fell to the ground. I bet that was quite a loud thud when it hit the ground.
