DUNNVILLE—On July 25, 2024, Alf Ragogna was able to stand up for the first time in nine weeks, which his wife, Freda Taylor, said is “very, very huge.”
On May 23, Ragogna was cutting the lawn on a riding mower along the lakeside portion of their property in rural Dunnville.
In a heartbeat, a chore he’d done countless times before turned dire.
“He went to make the turn; he put it in reverse, and I’m not sure if part of the bank let go, (but) the tractor went over backward with him on it,” said Taylor, who saw it happen; she called it “just a freak accident.”
Ragogna fell to the rocks below, a distance of about 15 feet, Taylor estimated.
“I think he jumped off the tractor, because I’m thinking it would have been a whole lot worse if the tractor had tumbled over on him,” she said. While he had no broken bones, he did hit his head, which resulted in a severe brain bleed.
Firefighters from Station 11 were the first on the scene.
“They did such a terrific job; if it wasn’t for them, he probably wouldn’t be alive,” Taylor said.
He was initially taken to Haldimand War Memorial Hospital in Dunnville, and then airlifted to Hamilton General Hospital for further care. Ragogna remains in the Acquired Brain Injury inpatient program at the General.
Taylor said she’s grateful to all the healthcare workers who treated Ragogna.
“I just love them all,” she said.
The weeks of recovery have been slow, but not without hope. Despite the brain injury, “his mind is there, thank God. He knows everybody, recognizes everybody,” Taylor said. Ragogna also has his mobility; right now, the focus for his recovery is getting his mind and body working in tandem once more.
Taylor, originally from Niagara Region, was working at a gas station in Dunnville, where Ragogna is from, when they first met; he kept coming by, and their romance – now 37 years strong – blossomed from there.
When asked if this was the most significant challenge they’ve faced together over the years, Taylor said, “Most definitely; been pretty blessed up until now, and I’m still feeling very blessed at this moment.”
One of the most striking things for the couple through this accident is how their community has come alongside them.
“My heart is just overwhelmed with the generosity, the kindness,” Taylor said.
Ragogna is self-employed; he owns and operates Alf’s Renovations.
“All his contractor friends have been just amazing, checking on him, checking on me, making sure everything’s okay, if I need any help,” Taylor said.
That’s not all.
Neighbours and friends Deb Hyma and Laurie Winkworth have teamed up to organize a fundraiser for the couple, since with Ragogna unable to work and Taylor splitting her time between her job and driving into Hamilton to be with him – plus the costs of gas, parking, etc. – they’ve been quickly going through their savings.
Hyma noted that she’s known Ragogna since their days at St. Michael’s school, and that his accident is “pretty devastating” for those who know him.
She and Winkworth are organizing a raffle; they’ve been collecting donations of prizes and selling tickets for the online event, which will take place on August 31 at 6 p.m.
Hyma explained that the plan is to have the individual prizes written on pieces of paper in one bucket, and the raffle tickets in a second bucket, and then draw one from each until all the prizes are gone, so it’s completely random. They’re hoping to livestream the draw, but if they can’t get that to work, they’ll at least record it and post it online for everyone to watch. Following the draw, the winners will be contacted to let them know what they’ve won.
“There’s some pretty amazing prizes,” Hyma said, including a DeWalt chop saw that was donated by a local builder who knows Ragogna and Taylor personally. There’s also been enough alcohol donated that there will be at least two booze buckets, alongside lottery tickets, kitchen gadgets, metalwork art pieces by a local creator, and more.
Hyma said some people have even contacted them to make cash donations to the cause, without even knowing Ragogna or Taylor; they just heard about what happened and wanted to help.
“It’s really nice to see that,” Hyma said. “We hope we do very well, because any little bit that they get will help them through this recovery spot that he’s in.”
Hyma said they’ll continue to accept donations of prizes until the day of the draw. Raffle tickets can be purchased by contacting either Hyma or Winkworth via Facebook; to find more information about the event, visit bit.ly/4c1KRpY.
Taylor said when she heard about the fundraiser, “I was just like, oh my goodness; how incredibly kind,” adding that she and Ragogna are usually the ones offering to help others. “It kind of seems strange being on the other end of things.”
Still, it’s somewhat unsurprising that people have wanted to help out; Taylor said Ragogna is “well-respected in the community; he’s helped a lot of people. He’s just a really nice guy.”
Seeing so many people wanting to help, Taylor said, “I just don’t know how to word it, my appreciation; my heart is overwhelmed.”
