It was late November 2009 when my Grandpa, 68 years old at the time, faced a serious farming accident that nearly cost him his life. He was driving a tractor near our house, applying Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3), a potent chemical fertilizer. Unfortunately, a hose detached from one of the NH3 tanks, releasing a dangerous cloud of vapor. My father received an urgent message from our neighbor: “You better go check on your dad.” Grandpa was now engulfed in the deadly fumes.
My father rushed to the scene, calling out over his CB radio, “Stop the tractor! I’m right here!” He drove beside Grandpa’s tractor, praying that he would stop. Grandpa had been driving in circles, trying to keep the cloud behind him, for about 20 minutes. Despite the weather being in his favor, the freezing ammonia vapor had still begun to seep into the tractor cab.
At this point, Grandpa could only manage to push in the clutch. Once the tractor stopped, my dad quickly scrambled up the ladder. When he opened the door, a cloud of ammonia vapor nearly knocked him backward. He somehow managed to put the tractor in park and helped Grandpa down the steep steps. Grandpa was delirious, struggling to breathe, but they rushed to the hospital.
My mom had already called 911, and my maternal grandmother, an EMT, had mobilized her team before they were officially paged. The plan was to meet halfway.
How Anhydrous Ammonia Affects the Body:
NH3 is an extremely cold vapor that attaches to moisture. When inhaled, it bonds to the wet tissue in the lungs, throat, and other parts of the body. It causes immediate burning and can be deadly, often resulting in severe damage to the eyes, lungs, and internal organs. It’s commonly used in farming as a fertilizer.
At the hospital, Grandpa was intubated just in time before his throat swelled shut. He was stripped of his clothes and hosed down with water to remove toxins and mucus from his body. Grandpa later joked about the experience, saying, “They had a hose in every place they could find a hole in me.” Afterward, he was flown to a larger hospital.
Grandpa recalled that the ammonia affected almost every organ in his body: “It affected everything—my eyes, ears, kidneys, heart, and lungs. I swelled up like a toad.” My dad vividly remembered that on the way to meet the ambulance, Grandpa’s throat and mouth were blackened. His body was poisoned by the ammonia, causing temporary paralysis. He was in a coma for nearly a month. When he woke on Christmas Day, his first question was, “How long?”
The Impact on the Family:
My grandma, devastated by seeing her once-healthy husband so helpless, told a reporter, “He had never been sick a day in his life, and suddenly he was so helpless.” Grandpa endured additional battles during his recovery, including a stage 4 bedsore and a dangerous MRSA infection. The road to recovery was grueling, requiring treatments like dipping his fingers in hot wax to regain mobility. I remember Grandpa’s frustration at being unable to do even the simplest things, including speaking.
Grandpa finally returned home on July 30, 2010, after eight long months of recovery. Although he helped with the harvest that year, the dust from the fields wreaked havoc on his lungs, leaving him with only 32% lung capacity. He was forced to leave farming indefinitely, a decision that probably hurt him more than the accident itself.
Over the years, Grandpa’s health remained fragile. He had a weakened immune system, and he was frequently hospitalized, even making it through COVID-19. His resilience was extraordinary, and his doctor once joked, “You could fall off the Empire State Building, hit the ground, dust off your pants, and keep walking.” Grandpa’s body had survived so much.
However, his kidneys, never fully recovered from the ammonia exposure, eventually required weekly dialysis. After ten years, his body couldn’t withstand much more.
Grandpa passed away in October 2024 at the age of 83. His long battle with his health had come to an end, but his strength, stubbornness, and wit left a lasting impact on his family. We are forever grateful for the extra 13 years we had with him. We made memories, traveled to places like Yellowstone and Puerto Rico, and went on many fishing trips together. Grandpa’s life and the lessons he taught us will never be forgotten.
My dad now carries a full-face respirator whenever using Anhydrous Ammonia, a constant reminder of the tragic event. Losing his father was a difficult experience, and I can only imagine how often my dad relives that day.
The events of that November day were shaped by a series of fortunate circumstances: Grandpa’s decision to drive in circles, my mom’s quick thinking to have an ambulance from a nearby hospital, and the neighbor’s call. We’re thankful for those “stars aligning” because it meant we had more time with Grandpa. And when I remember him now, I take comfort in knowing there’s no more coughing where he is.
TL;DR: Grandpa survived, but at a great cost. Never underestimate the danger of harsh chemicals like Anhydrous Ammonia. If you survive, your life will be forever altered by the lasting impact on your body. Hospital visits will become routine.
