April 13, 2002 - The Rapid City Journal Online.

Dietrich finds joy in life by helping others

By Steve Miller, West River Editor

KEYSTONE -- Dallas Dietrich was an avid skier and outdoor enthusiast for years, but his chief source of joy was in helping people, particularly people with disabilities.

Now disabled himself by a horrific vehicle accident, Dietrich no longer can ski, or even walk. But he still has his chief source of joy — helping other people.

Dietrich was one of a half dozen people in 1978 who started Ski for Light, the program to provide a skiing-type experience for people with disabilities at Deer Mountain ski area.

Now, he and his wife, Mary Dietrich, are involved in a project to create a resort/retreat for people with disabilities on their land at Otho, east of Keystone (see related story).

Dietrich said he isn’t any more motivated to help people now than before his accident. “It’s always made me feel good to help other people.” But he said being in a wheelchair himself has helped him realize the specific needs of handicapped people.

Dietrich suffered a spinal-cord injury on Jan. 4, 1997, when a semitrailer crashed into the rear of his car on Interstate 90 near Mitchell, injuring him and Mary and killing their two children, Deric, 21, and Dawn Krutzky, 26, and Dawn’s husband, Joseph Krutzky.

He had no blood pressure when medical personnel arrived on the scene. “I was pretty close (to death),” he said. “I’m just ornery enough to pull through.”

He got better at first, but the injury caused a cyst in his spinal cord, which has cost him the use of his legs. He’s had seven surgeries, three in Rapid City, one at Mayo Clinic in Rochester and three at Craig Hospital in Denver to try to save the use of his legs. Now, he’s beginning to lose the use of his arms and faces the possibility of another surgery.

The disease isn’t life-threatening. “But it’s definitely a cumbersome thing,” Dietrich said. “It’s a progression that’s just hard to stop. Two months ago, I could stand. Now, I can’t stand.”

But Dietrich still has the same cheerful, positive attitude he had before the accident. He’s upbeat and gleefully needles his friends.

He still is involved in Ski for Light and is undaunted by launching the ambitious project at Otho with very little money and vague plans.

He says he is one of those people who looks at the glass as half full rather than half empty. Part of it has come from being around other patients at Mayo and Craig.

“I’ve been around people who were in a lot worse shape than me,” he said.

But mostly, he has drawn strength from what has always worked for him.

“What’s helped me is trying to help other people.”