RANDOLPH, Minnesota — Every piece of equipment he loved, coming down his street and an empty John Deere chair in the driveway in which to watch it.
Carter Nicolai’s dream come true.
“He learned how to drive the lawnmower so he could mow the lawn, he learned how to drive a snowblower so he could clear out the driveway for mom and dad, he wanted to be the first person up to go to work with dad every day to be a farmer,” Caryn Riley, Carter’s aunt, said.
On Tuesday night, Carter was killed in a rollover while driving an ATV across the street from his home.
One evening later, trucks, tractors and assorted other vehicles crept past his parents and other family members gathered in the driveway, just behind Carter’s empty John Deere chair.
“He knew everyone, he could go up and talk to anyone about anything,” Kent Nicolai, Carter’s uncle, said.
And Randolph knew Carter. Many of those offering condolences to his parents were among the 1,000 people who attended his benefit five years ago.
“When he was four, he was diagnosed with aplastic anemia,” Riley said. “The ultimate outcome was he needed a bone marrow transplant, he went through chemo, he went through radiation, he survived all of that. To have this now happen is just so unfair.”
Recently, Carter’s family had celebrated the five-year anniversary of his recovery.
“All of Randolph is his family, especially after what he went through, he touched so many lives,” Riley said.
Randolph was there for Carter five years ago. Tuesday night they were there for him again as COVID-19 restrictions prevented the hugs everyone wanted to give his parents.
So, with all the horsepower they could muster, they hugged, Carter's way.
“He would have loved this,” Riley said. “He’s hopefully watching this and can enjoy it. This is where he’d love to be.”
