(Photo) (Also photos and captions of the rescue squads and life flight helicopter)

The family of a Fort Calhoun man who died after he was pinned by a vehicle he was working on say he would have been proud to know he helped others when his organs were donated.

“He would have been right there,” Dale Kumm said. “There was no way he would have said, 'No way. Don't do that.'”

Kodiak Kumm, 21, died Saturday at CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center. Kodiak was critically injured Tuesday after he was trapped under a car that had slipped off a jack at his home at 202 S. Seventh St.

Kumm's father, Dale, came home just before noon and found his son. Dale was able to get the car off him and start CPR before rescue personnel arrived.

Fort Calhoun Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and were able to get a faint pulse.

Kodiak was transported by medical helicopter to CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center. He was declared "clinically dead" Friday. His family opted to donate his organs.

“I think that's why we were able to bring him back for a short period of time,” Dale said of the organ donation.

Dale said though the car fell on Kodiak, he only had a couple of broken ribs. Doctors were able to harvest most if not all of the organs needed on Saturday.

Dale said he is unsure how many people Kodiak was able to help, but those people who had been waiting for a transplant were notified right before the holiday.

“We're hoping that we made a lot of people's Easters special,” Dale said.

Kodiak's grandmother, Barb Kumm, said her grandson was a very thoughtful person.

“Kodiak always called me when I sent Christmas and birthday cards. He always called and thanked me,” she said. “He'd call sometimes just to say, 'Hi, Grandma.'

“He was very humble,” Barb said. “I think that was part of the charm of him, too. He never met a stranger.”

Kodiak was a 2012 Fort Calhoun High School graduate. He played football and was crowned prom king his senior year.

“He was very proud of that. We all were,” Barb said. “It shows he was very well-liked amongst the other children.”

Following graduation, Kodiak worked at Firestone, where his father had also worked, though he had recently quit that job.

“Kodiak wanted to quit working there because his dad is not in very good health,” Barb said. “He wanted to be here with him and take care of him. That's just the kind of kid he was.”

Kodiak also helped his parents deliver newspapers.

A Gofundme page has been established to help the Kumm family pay for funeral expenses.

A visitation is planned from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church. The funeral is 2 p.m. Wednesday at the church.

Kumm is survived by his parents, Dale and Grace, and two brothers, John and Andrew.

Omaha World Herald 28 March 2016

Kumm, Kodiak Kenneth Apr 13, 1994 - Mar 25, 2016 Age 21 of Fort Calhoun, NE. Preceded in death by grandfather, Kenneth F. Kumm. Survived by parents, Dale and Grace Kumm; brothers, Andrew Kumm, John Miller Kumm, all of Fort Calhoun; grandmothers, Barbara Kumm, Harlingen, TX, Lucile Kalvick, Mason City, IA; cousins, Camara Kumm, Omaha, Alya Moorhouse, Valley, NE, Kera Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico and many more cousins; aunt, Alberta Gray, Omaha, and many more aunts and uncles. The Kumm family would like it known that Kodiak is an organ donor and would be very proud that he is helping save other people's lives. VISITATION 4-9pm Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church. FUNERAL SERVICE 2pm Wednesday, March 30, 2016, also at Church. Interment Fort Calhoun Cemetery. Memorials, in lieu of traditional remembrances, memorials are suggested to The Kumm Family. SIEVERS-SPRICK FUNERAL HOME Ft. Calhoun, NE 402-468-5678

The following article was written by Kevin Cole/World-Herald Staff Writer and was published in the Omaha World Herald 29 March 2016

'We know our son would want to help others': Family of man who died after car crushed him finds comfort in donating his organs

A Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, family that lost a son when the car he was working on crushed him said Sunday that they’re heartened by the knowledge that donations of the young man’s organs could mean life for others.

“We keep trying to see some light from this tragedy, and so we’re thinking this Easter Sunday about all the people waiting for transplants that got a phone call,” said Dale Kumm. “We know our son would want to help others.”

Kodiak Kumm, 21, died Friday at the Creighton University Medical Center. He was taken there by helicopter Tuesday after his father came home at noon and found that a car his son was working on had slipped off the jack stands.

Dale Kumm said his son — a big man, at 6-foot-2, 350 pounds — had forgotten to block the back wheels and the car apparently rolled off the stands. The car’s fall caused “an extremely severe brain injury” but little trauma to the body, his dad said.

“If I had been home, he might have survived it,” Dale Kumm said. “I think that, like so many other young guys, Kodiak just couldn’t imagine something like that would happen. The young guys think they’re invincible.”

A funeral service will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church. Visitation will take place Tuesday from 4 to 9 p.m. at the church.

Born and raised in Fort Calhoun, Kodiak graduated from Fort Calhoun High School in 2012. He played football all four years on both offense and defense.

“Oh, my gosh, Kodiak loved playing football,” said his mother, Grace Kumm. “He had a passion for football.”

Like other young people, she said, her son also enjoyed going to movies and concerts with his friends as well as video gaming. His mother said she was proud to see how quickly her son could turn a stranger into a friend.

“He was a very fun person to be around,” she said. “He could meet someone, start talking and he had a new friend. It was amazing to see a young person who could do that so easily.” Like his father and others in the family, Kodiak Kumm had a knack for mechanics. Family time was also important to him, and he enjoyed helping out his parents, who deliver two World-Herald routes.

“I think delivering the newspaper has actually helped me through these past few days,” his father said. “My youngest son and I get up early and we’re out in the dark delivering papers and talking about Kodiak. He was a loving person, who loved to help others.”

In addition to his parents, Kodiak is survived by his brothers, Andrew and John, of Fort Calhoun; and grandmothers, Barbara Kumm of Hartington, Texas, and Lucile Kalvick of Mason City, Iowa.

A fund has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses: https://www.youcaring.com/kumm-family-545216#.VvnbKZ_lVLt.facebook

Contact the writer: 402-444-1272, kevin.cole@owh.com

Kumm, Kodiak Kenneth 3/25/2016

Printed in the March 25, 2016 Enterprise, Blair, Nebraska. Article and photo by Leeanna Ellis/ Enterprise

Note: photo with caption: Fort Calhoun firefighters watch as a medical helicopter takes off carrying a man who was found pinned underneath a vehicle at 202 S. 7th St. The man was transported to CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center. The man was later identified as 21-year-old Kodiak Kumm.

Fort Calhoun man pinned under vehicle

A Fort Calhoun man was transported by medical helicopter with life-threatening injuries after he was found pinned underneath a vehicle Monday.

The incident happened at about 11:45 a.m. at 202 S. Seventh St., across the street from Fort Atkinson.

The injured man was identified as Kodiak Kumm, 21.

Chief Deputy Kevin Willis of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said Kumm’s father, Dale, came home to find his son trapped under a car after it slipped off a jack. He was able to get the car off of him and begin CPR before rescue personnel arrived.

Fort Calhoun Fire and Rescue responded to the scene. They took over CPR and were able to get a faint pulse.

“They do a great job—an outstanding job—and they were here very quickly,” Willis said.

A LifeNet helicopter landed at nearby Fort Atkinson and transported the man to CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center.

“We just hope and pray that he’ll be OK,” Willis said. “Our hearts go out to the family. It’s very difficult.”

Obituary March 25, 2016 Omaha World-Herald, by Kevin Cole

Family says man crushed by car to be taken off life support

A Fort Calhoun man, critically injured when a car he was working on slipped off a jack stand, was probably going to be taken off life support Thursday evening, his father said.

Kodiak Kumm, 21, was flown to the Creighton University Medical Center on Tuesday. Dale Kumm said his son probably would be taken off life support after family members said their goodbyes.

“We are also planning to donate his organs.” Kumm said Thursday morning. “The timeline is a little difficult to predict.”

Rescue personnel were called to a Fort Calhoun home about noon Tuesday after Dale Kumm came home and found his son trapped beneath the car, said Chief Deputy Kevin Willis of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. The father jacked up the car and began CPR.

3rd obituary, printed in the March 29, 2016 Pilot-Tribune (Photo of Kenneth Kodiak Kumm)

Kodiak Kenneth Kumm, 21

Kodiak Kenneth Kumm, age 21 of Fort Calhoun, NE.

Born: April 13, 1994, Blair, NE

Died: March 25, 2016, Omaha, NE

Preceded in Death by: grandfather Kenneth F. Kumm

Survived by: parents, Dale and Grace Kumm; brothers, Andrew Kumm and John Miller Kumm all of Fort Calhoun, NE; grandmothers, Barbara Kumm of Harlingen, TX, Lucile Kalvick of Mason City, IA; cousins, Camara Kumm of Harlingen, TX, Alya Moorhouse of Valley, NE, Kera Gomez of Mexico City, Mexico, many more cousins; aunt, Alberta Gray of Omaha, NE, many more aunts and uncles.

The Kumm family would like it known that Kodiak is an organ donor and would be very proud that he is helping save other people’s lives.

Visitation: 4:00-9:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church. Funeral Service, 2:00 p.m Wednesday, March 30, 2016, also at Church.

Interment: Fort Calhoun Cemetery.

Memorials: In Lieu of traditional remembrances, memorials are suggested to the Kumm Family.

Arrangements handled by Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska~~~

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