Roof Snow Cuts Loose;

Butterfield Falls 15 Ft.

By Sandy Vondrasek

Clayton Butterfield of School Street suffered seven broken ribs and a punctured lung last Thursday, when he was swept off the roof he was shoveling by an "avalanche" of snow from the roofline above him.

Lois Butterfield said yesterday that her 76-year-old husband suffered seven broken ribs and a punctured lung in the fall.

Given that he fell 15 feet down to their blacktop drive—which he had earlier cleared of snow—it was a miracle that Butterfield didn’t suffer worse injury, his wife said.

Although he was bleeding from his mouth, and had "snow behind his glasses," Butterfield was able get himself inside the house after his fall.

He was taken by ambulance to Gifford Medical Center, and after a seven-day stay, was scheduled to be released yesterday afternoon.

Now that the emergency is over, there is a little room for ribbing.

Lois Butterfield said, "I asked him ‘Why didn’t you grab the shovel on the way down.’ He didn’t think it was funny."

Butterfield has a Wednesday rubbish pick-up business, and his chief worry during the past week has been his customers, Lois Butterfield said. Son David Butterfield and his son Josh did this week’s route and expect to be able to help out for a few months.

Lois Butterfield said the accident means that she is getting some extra exercise, carrying up firewood, and carrying out wood ash.

"We’ve had lots of friends, and prayers, and calls, and we appreciate every one of them," she added.