Neighbors rescue man buried in snow for hours
JANESVILLE — Todd Herrington didn't expect to hear an answer as he cleared 2 feet of snow off the face that was buried below.
"I said, 'Joe,' " Herrington said. "I just figured I was saying it to a dead person."
Joe Latta answered.
"I couldn't believe a voice came out of there," Herrington said Wednesday. "I really thought he was frozen stiff. His arm wasn't moving, just sticking straight out. I have no idea, under 2 feet of snow, how you would breathe."
Latta, 66, told rescuers he ventured outside of his Rockshire Drive home about 5 a.m. Wednesday to get the mail, fell in the driveway and couldn't get up. Latta lives alone. Snow likely drifted as he lay there on his back in temperatures that dipped to the low teens. At about 6:45 a.m., snowplows pushed up more snow, covering all of Latta except a gloved hand.
Police officer Todd Schumann said Latta was covered with 29 inches of snow with probably another 4 to 6 feet below him.
About 9 a.m., Betsy Nelson, a neighbor across the street, noticed what she assumed was a piece of garbage or a little animal jumping on the drift. But something made her uneasy. Perhaps it was the garage door that was usually closed but this morning was open. Nelson hauled out a pair of binoculars.
She called the Herringtons next door.
"You guys are going to think I'm crazy," she recalled saying. "But I think there's a hand sticking from the snow."
Herrington had just finished his shift as a firefighter and was snowblowing his driveway. He crossed the street. When he found the glove, it wasn't moving.
He cleared snow from the hand so he could work his way to a head. Snow was stuffed in Latta's nostrils and was packed behind his lenses. Sally Herrington brought over a shovel, and her husband carefully shoveled snow from Latta's chest. Neighbors later found his ball cap blown two houses down.
Schumann, next on the scene, quickly dug a trench so emergency workers could get to Latta to help.
Latta was shivering violently and was stiff, Schumann said. He saw no footprints leading to the spot where the man lay. Latta told Schumann he didn't recall going unconscious. He remembered the snow pushing over him, burying him.
Herrington said Latta's clothes were dry underneath and speculated that the snow captured his body heat.
Latta was hypothermic, and Lt. Patrick Kilbane of the fire department said he was surprised he could understand his rescuers.
But how did he breathe?
"Good question," Kilbane said.
"The poor guy couldn't talk, he was shivering so bad," he said.
But Latta wasn't hurt and was breathing OK.
"What would have been going through that poor guy's mind?" Herrington wondered. "Am I going to freeze first or suffocate first?"
Herrington said it is a miracle that Latta, who was treated at and released from Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center, is alive. Several times Wednesday, Herrington stooped down, weighing the snow in his hand.
On a normal day, Nelson would have been at work long before 9 a.m.
"Someone was really looking out for him today," Herrington said.
Feb 14, 2011 at 2:19 p.m.
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frusion, your point is excellent. I think the Van Galder bus burning story was nixed for comments because Van Galder is a significant Gazette advertiser.
Feb 14, 2011 at 1:58 p.m.
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winterstinks, it is because you are only allowed to say mean and nasty things about people like Governor Walker. If you were to say anything remotely like that about a person that shoots another in the head at point blank range let's say... THAT would be deleted immediately. I was surprised to see the bus fire story disabled. What can you say mean about a bus fire?? "It was a smelly bus and it DESERVED to burn!!"?
Feb 14, 2011 at 1:35 p.m.
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Why does the Janesville Gazette keep disabling comments on stories?!? LOL. I've never seen another newpaper do that!
Feb 8, 2011 at 6:24 a.m.
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This story was actually on CBS National News on Sunday night. I am so glad everything turned out ok for this man. Could have been so bad.
Feb 7, 2011 at 1:37 p.m.
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kraut - In my case, it's two against one (me)!
Feb 7, 2011 at 12:22 p.m.
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Nice job, neighbors!
Unfortunately, I'm sure some enterprising lawyer will try find a way to to profit from this incident by claiming that city responsible for this, and thereby try and make the taxpayers pay up.
A SUGGESTION TO ALL: Unless it's there's a real "e-m-e-r-g-e-n-c-y" (and checking the mail is not), stay inside when there's a blizzard and 30-40 MPH winds...or the coyotes might eat you!
Feb 6, 2011 at 6:52 a.m.
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If that guy has not already read John 3:16 of the bible - it is time.
Feb 6, 2011 at 12:26 a.m.
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Betsy is a wonderful person! Glad to know her and an honor to work with her!
Feb 5, 2011 at 8:45 p.m.
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Go Betsy!
Feb 5, 2011 at 7:06 p.m.
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i'm really happy the man is alive, because the truth is, he was stupid to go out in a snowstorm at 5am-for ANY reason-let alone to get the Mail. if he doesn't believe in God, he should now
Feb 5, 2011 at 5:47 p.m.
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I lived in Janesville prior to coming to seminary here in Dubuque, Iowa, and when I noticed on my AOL news page that a guy was buried in the snow in Janesville, of course I had to read this story. This man is incredible. His matter-of-fact way of telling his story is so wonderfully "Janesville" and makes me miss my hometown even more than I already do! Praise God for his thoughtful neighbors, and for his survival!
Feb 5, 2011 at 4:48 p.m.
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Great Story! I am confused about one part though. It says the officer said he was covered under 29 inches of snow with 4-6 feet below him? From the sounds of it, he lives in town. Is this an error by the Gazette that should have read 4-6 inches? Or was the man climbing up a huge snow drift out in the country somewhere when he got stuck? Either way, thank god for his neighbors!
Feb 5, 2011 at 10:45 a.m.
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Thank you Todd Harrington!
Feb 5, 2011 at 9:45 a.m.
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I haven't seen Todd Herrington in years, but his actions don't surprise me today...He's a class act who's always put his heart in front of his hand. Great example here of COMMUNITY and the power behind it.
Feb 5, 2011 at 6:43 a.m.
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It is a wonderful thing that Todd,Sally and Mrs. Nelson did. Whatever caused them to find him, Leave the people here to turn it into an argument.Todd and Sally are two of the nicest, most sincere people this town has to offer.Congrats and thank you for being you.
Feb 5, 2011 at 6:25 a.m.
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Holy. Freaking. Wow.
Feb 4, 2011 at 11:05 p.m.
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SwissChick, it seems to me that you should move, or hire the Human Target guy. :)
Feb 4, 2011 at 4:33 p.m.
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Not that I'm a bad person and deserve to be in a snow bank, but my neighbors are just that bad.
.
Mine probably would've thrown a little extra misting of water on me just for good measure. . . . . And snatched my gloves and boots, socks and whatever they could've grabbed.
Feb 4, 2011 at 4:24 p.m.
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In "the latest news box" earlier today another women was not so lucky. 52 years old. Car was stuck. Tow truck took her home and left car behind. Truck couldn't get up the drive. She walked and fell or something - was 300 ft from house. Somebody found her next day covered in snow dead. Just awful. I don't see it now.
Feb 4, 2011 at 4:14 p.m.
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Swisschick, not only would they have left me there, they would have covered me with more snow....
Feb 4, 2011 at 3:54 p.m.
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hayburnr - My neighbors would have put me there.
Feb 4, 2011 at 3:41 p.m.
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What an incredible story. He's a very fortunate person to be alive and have neighbors who look out for each other.
Feb 4, 2011 at 2:18 p.m.
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Way to go! Great to have neighbors who care.. I am sure this gentleman is grateful to all! It is unbelievable that he survived such a strange ordeal!
Feb 4, 2011 at 1:14 p.m.
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He is very lucky to have great neighbors...my neighbors would have left me there.
Feb 4, 2011 at 12:29 p.m.
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I believe you gogreen61. But sorry to say certain people would have a million reasons why that was coincidental or fabricated in some way. I guess we'll find out someday who is right and who is wrong.
Feb 4, 2011 at 12:23 p.m.
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Kudos to Betsy Nelson and Todd Harrington, great role models.
Feb 4, 2011 at 9:03 a.m.
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Wait until the non-believers get their hands on this story over in the "Does God make a difference?" blog. Someone over there will tell you the outcome of this had nothing to do with God or Angels. They should just hope nothing like this ever happens to them.
Feb 3, 2011 at 10:32 p.m.
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Angels come in all forms, and Mr. Latta's were there for him. A special thanks to Mrs. Nelson and the Harrington's for they were wearing their wings that day!
Feb 3, 2011 at 10:18 p.m.
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AWESOME!
Neighbors being neighbors like it used to be. I'm happy that it still happens. Great job folks.
Feb 3, 2011 at 10:07 p.m.
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Wow~what an amazing story!
Feb 3, 2011 at 8:21 p.m.
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Wow, this man had someone looking out for him! Thank goodness he is okay.
Feb 3, 2011 at 7:37 p.m.
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this story made me cry,because the outcome was great!i dont even know you besty,but thank god you noticed something and felt uneasy,im so glad this man is ok:)
Feb 3, 2011 at 6:02 p.m.
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Wow. Thank God they found him. How scary!!
Feb 3, 2011 at 5:54 p.m.
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I'm so happy Joe is alive and well! God certainly had His Hand on him!
Feb 3, 2011 at 4:47 p.m.
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And how lucky is this gentleman to have a neighbor who is trained in emergency medical procedures? Wow, is right! So glad this had a positive outcome!
Feb 3, 2011 at 4:22 p.m.
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Wow, what a story!
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