(By Regina Lorenz, Osmond Republican) OSMOND — The group of people who came out for the book signing of Kent and Kevin Warneke’s book, “Saving Harlan Brandt: The Survivor and His Good Samaritans” on Wednesday, Feb. 7, was pleasantly surprised to see that, in addition to co-author Kent Warneke, survivor Harlan Brandt was also in attendance.
Warneke gave much of the background behind the making of the book, which tells of the horrific tractor-SUV accident Brandt was in, in 2013.
The author began by introducing himself: His grandparents, Walter and Ella Warneke, lived in Osmond and his father, Leonald, graduated from Osmond High School, so he has ties to this community. He thanked LaVail Aschoff and the Osmond Public Library for inviting him here to speak.
Warneke is now retired, but has worked at the Norfolk Daily News (NDN) and the Omaha World-Herald. He explained that Harlan Brandt had come to him at NDN a couple years ago and told him he had a great story and asked him to write it.
At the time, Warneke was working full-time and, although the story was compelling, he didn’t think he would have time to write a book. He decided to speak with his brother, Kevin, and after discussing the idea, they decided to try and do it — but they needed to find a new way of telling this story of survival.
There are thousands of stories of near-death experiences, so the brothers decided they needed to tell it in a different way: by talking to those involved — the Good Samaritans who played a part in the story.
The first thing they had to come up with was a title. They thought of the title the book has now, just as a “working title” until they could come up with something else. In the end, the name stuck, because the name Harlan Brandt just sounds like a rural Nebraskan, Kent said.
The next thing they had to do was find all the people who came in contact with Harlan that day. Luckily, they were able to make a list through Harlan’s memories, hospital reports, police reports, etc. A recurring theme from everyone they spoke to was how faith and God played a part in Harlan’s survival.
In this way, the book’s focus became clear, Kent said: the Good Samaritans who stopped and helped, from the first person on the scene to the doctors, nurses, clergy, friends and family.
As part of the book, which took two years to write, the Warnekes also reached out to other people for their Good Samaritan stories. They heard back from many who had been helped by strangers in tough situations, including past Governor Pete Ricketts and current Governor Jim Pillen, the former writing the foreword to the book.
Harlan then told his story, which was fascinating, but also gruesome at times when he described the many injuries he received and how he got them. At one point as he was being flung through the air and hit by flying debris and the vehicles involved, Harlan said he saw a bright light.
His spirit came out of his body, he said, and he saw beautiful colors and flowers. Then, he said, very simply, he felt Jesus standing next to him, and then his spirit came back to his body, and a voice said, “Don’t worry, you'll be fine." Throughout his rescue, from the man who first stopped and came up to him, to the pastor who was called to his hospital room to give him last rites, to the doctors, he told them all he was going to be fine.
When listing Harlan’s many injuries to him later, the doctor said, “All of these things should have killed you.” All he could say about it was that it was divine intervention.
After this fascinating presentation by both men, many of the audience members came up to speak with Harlan, purchase books and get their autographs.
Several copies of the book, “Saving Harlan Brandt: The Survivor and His Good Samaritans,” have been ordered so that it will soon be available at the Osmond Public Library.
