Henson family recovering from accidents

By Lesley Hughes
star staff
lhughes@starhq.com

  Carter County Sheriff John Henson faces emergencies on a daily basis, but usually his family is not involved. Henson's daughter and wife were injured in two separate accidents nearly a week ago. Fortunately, John said his daughter, Valerie Forester, and wife, Kathy, are both healing from their injuries.
  Forrester was involved in the more serious of the two accidents on Sept. 3 when she was run over by her own car. She had placed her two children in the car and was walking around the front of the car when her 4 year old son accidentally knocked the car out of gear. The car rolled over her, breaking several ribs, a vertebrae, and both hips.
  The vehicle drug her about 150 feet before coming to a stop when it hit a building. She also suffered serious injuries to her kidneys, which were jarred out of position.
  One week after the serious accident, Henson said, "She is alive and that's the main thing. It was touch and go for a while." He said her kidneys were expected to heal without surgery, but did add that it would be a long time before she can walk again. He said she will have to endure months of physical therapy.
  His wife was injured when she fell while hiking to Elk River Falls the following Monday. Kathy suffered two breaks in her lower leg. John was forced to carry her to the car, when he couldn't call for emergency assistance on his cellular phone.
  Fortunately, her broken leg did not require surgery and was placed in a cast, which she will wear for at least 6 more weeks.
  "We had no business being up there," John said while adding that he is having to take care of his wife while she recovers also.