Youth Profile: Making the call

NEW BREMEN — Jacob Fenters, an 18-year-old senior at New Bremen High School, was just doing his job that hot June afternoon. He and classmate Nathan Skinner were on a wagon, baling hay at Jim Lampert's farm.

Fenters and Skinner became concerned when Lampert did not reappear in the loft opening. After about 10 minutes, Skinner went into the loft to see what happened. He found Lampert lying on the floor and asked Fenters to call 911.

“When Nathan ran out, I didn't really believe him,” Fenters said. “I called 911 though. It was kind of shocking.”

The paramedics arrived about five minutes later. Lampert was severely injured.

“He just recently got out of his halo,” Fenters said. “He's still recovering though because he broke his neck.”

The boys finished the next wagon load of hay and went home. Fenters, while shocked at what happened, did not think of what he did as heroic at all.

“Anybody is going to call 911 in that situation,” he said.

However, the community felt differently. On Oct. 3, the New Bremen emergency squad recognized Skinner and Fenters for acts of courage on June 14 by assisting Lampert. Both boys' quick actions made Lampert's chances of recovery much greater and may have even saved his life.

Fenters, whose favorite class is government, plays baseball for New Bremen's varsity team.

“I play left field,” he said. “I've played since about first grade, and I love all of it — the fielding and hitting the ball.”

Fenters plans to go to Ohio State University, although he is unsure whether he will attend the Lima campus or the main campus in Columbus. He will be majoring in landscaping and horticulture.

“I want to graduate with a degree in horticulture,” he said. “Maybe I'll start my own business eventually.”