Howard Lake Honors Student Dies Days Before Graduation Following Track Meet

Madeysen Kleve died in an accident near Annandale on Highway 55. It was a rollover accident that also involved 3 of her classmates as well. Two of the four were ejected from the car, which was hit broadside by a truck. Two remain hospitalized in critical condition.

It is unclear at this point why the accident took place, or which vehicle made the mistake. One has to simply be thankful that only one of the four died, as it sounded like a very serious accident.

I just learned that one of the students in the accident (Mitch) has cracked skull in some places, fluid in his lungs, and a severe cut on the back of his head. Doctors are optimistic but said to continue to pray for him because he is not out of the woods yet.

Another student in the accident, (Kacie) is at St.Cloud hospital. She had surgery Thursday morning to realign her hip. She is in stable condition and her vital readings are good. A small miracle there.

The accident took place after the Section 5A track and field meet last night in Collegeville, where Madeysen and 3 of her friends were cheering her Lakers track and field teams. The Jaguars track and field teams had 8 students there competing at the meet.

Madeysen was an honors student at Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted. She was enrolled at Mankato State this fall in the nursing program. Pray for her family.

Many years ago, when I was a junior at B-B-E, I remember principal Terry Frazee lecturing me about teenage driving. He added that in his time as an administrator at small schools, he always feared two weekends the most: Prom & Graduation. He always breathed a sigh of relief the week following those weekends when he knew that nothing tragic took place.