Teen dies in sawmill accident, donates organs to save lives, including his mothers'

Michael Schuls as seen in this photo from a GoFundMe page,

Michael Schuls, a 16-year-old, died July 1 from his injuries in an accident at Florence Hardwoods in Florence, Wisconsin, on June 29. In death, however, Schuls lives on through donated organs.

His father, Jim Schuls, who also worked at the hardwood facility, told WBAY that his son donated his organs after his death, and one of his benefactors was his own mother.

‘Lucky enough his mom was the perfect match for his liver, and 7 or 8 other families received life,’ Schuls told the local station. ‘He delivered the miracle we prayed for for 7 other families, including his mother. That’s what’s keeping me going.’

‘I can’t even put a word on it he’s touched more people than I can ever imagine,’ his father said.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated the death and made a referral to the U.S. Department of Labor for possible child labor violations concerning dangerous jobs. It was determined that the worker was allowed by state law to do the job at his age.   

According to local reports, the Florence County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of an unresponsive teenager at the logging company June 29. The sheriff's office said the teen was transferred to a local hospital before being sent to Children's Wisconsin.

Schuls, according to CBS News, was attempting to unjam a wood-stacking machine at Florence Hardwoods on June 29 when the conveyor belt he was standing on moved and caused him to become pinned in the machine, according to Florence County Sheriff's Office reports obtained by The Associated Press. Schuls died in the hospital two days later.

A GoFundMe page was set up to aid the family pay for medical and other expenses. A trust fund has been established at Great North Bank in Florence in Michael’s name.

.

Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Profile picture for user larryadams
About the author
Larry Adams | Editor

Larry Adams is a Chicago-based writer and editor who writes about how things get done. A former wire service and community newspaper reporter, Larry is an award-winning writer with more than three decades of experience. In addition to writing about woodworking, he has covered science, metrology, metalworking, industrial design, quality control, imaging, Swiss and micromanufacturing . He was previously a Tabbie Award winner for his coverage of nano-based coatings technology for the automotive industry. Larry volunteers for the historic preservation group, the Kalo Foundation/Ianelli Studios, and the science-based group, Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST).