SEGUIN, Texas – A Seguin family is continuing their father’s legacy, a man who died from Lou Gehrig’s Disease or ALS, to inspire and educate youth about agriculture.
Allan Dreibrodt was born and raised in Seguin, Texas. His children, Delena Krueger and Brannon Dreibrodt, say their father was a prominent member in the community.
“He was teaching (agriculture),” said Krueger. “He was involved in FFA. He went to Navarro High School. He went to Southwest Texas University and got his master’s in education.”
Allan was also a member of the fair board, Chamber of Commerce, and the banking community.
“He raised us to be involved in the community as he was and to have this passion for the youth and agriculture and about wanting to give back to kids who worked so hard in it. Whether it was woodworking, or with animals, the mechanics behind this area is a lot of work and money and time. He loved it and he wanted to support these kids who love it as well.”
Though Allan won many recognitions, and raised such a beautiful, faith-based family, his life hit a major health obstacle when he was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 36 in 1989.
“One of the toughest things is, is that ALS doesn’t affect your brain on knowing what things are,” Krueger said. “Daddy was so smart and could build something like that. He was very handy with everything so not being able to physically do things, but knowing how to was hard for him.”
The disease is terminal and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those diagnosed with it typically have a shorter life span.
“It started with him being shaky and then not walking as well and falling when he would lose his balance,” Krueger said. “He couldn’t write anymore. He was fortunate that the bank was able to provide him a means to work on a computer still. He worked every day right up until he was last checked into the hospital.”
The impact of Allan’s diagnosis hit the family hard.
“My mom was his caretaker,” Krueger said. “She was amazing. She helped him get ready for work, and fed him because he couldn’t eat by himself. She was up at 4 in the morning and didn’t go to bed until 11 at night and majority of that was taking care of him.”
The doctors gave Allan five years to live, but he proved them wrong. He went on to live until he was 63 years old, making more and more memories with his family.
“I was about 9 years old when he got ALS,” Brannon said. “ I don’t have a lot of memories of him before. I remember a couple of things like shooting basketball with him and I remember throwing the football with him a little in the front yard.”
He said the memory that stands out for him the most dealt with his first truck his parents bought him.
“I was like 15,” Brannon said. “They got me a 1984 GMC. I loved that truck. So I was a big basketball guy and we had a goal in the driveway. I would pull my truck out of the driveway so I could play. As I was pulling it back in, I accidentally hit the gas hard and it went right into the brick garage. So there is brick everywhere and I was freaking out thinking I was totally dead.”
Brannon said when he told his dad, he wasn’t upset at him at all.
“My mom told me something later that night that really got me,” Brannon said. “She said ‘You know, your dad wasn't going to be upset at you. The worst thing that happened was that he was worried he couldn’t get up to make sure you were OK.’ At that point he was six years into his diagnosis. That is the biggest memory. The worst thing was that he couldn’t come out to make sure I was OK.”
Krueger, being the oldest, also had her share of memories.
“Of course I was a daddy’s girl,” Krueger said. “I loved going out to feed the chickens. I loved going out to walk my pigs and being in the barns and it was where daddy and I connected. When he was diagnosed, so many things went through my mind at the time. You know thinking, daddy is not going to be there and see me get married, he is not going to be there to see anything. I mean it was hard.”
Allan wrote a memoir of his life during his early years about agriculture, his love for family, his passion for God and his disease, but he never could afford to have it published. His family changed that.
“He was always a very loving, true, honest, and truly compassionate man about family and everything that comes with it,” Krueger said. “He was very strong in his faith. Every Sunday, you go to church, no matter what.”
For his birthday, they got some of their dad’s closest friends and supporters to come up with funds to publish his book.
“We surprised him,” Krueger said. “We were here with all of his friends and surprised him with his published book.”
“He then told us that he did not want any proceeds from it, but wanted it all to go to help the youth in agriculture and for their ag projects,” Brannon said. “So we did just that. Unfortunately, he passed away before he got the opportunity to do something with it so we started the Allan Dreibrodt Memorial Foundation and put money together and basically gave away scholarships to kids.”
Last year, the family threw the first major fundraiser for the foundation where they were able to raise enough money to fund 10 scholarships and a lot of money for youth ag projects.
“One time for Father’s Day, I got him a little sailboat,” Brannon said. “It was just a model sailboat and, on the side, it had a saying from the Bible that says ‘Don’t tell God how strong the storm is. Tell the storm how strong your God is.’ That is something that I always equated to him and us.”
Allan passed away a couple of weeks before his 64th birthday which would have been October 16, 2017.
“It was hard because it was right before a lot of different things were about to happen with our family but the one thing that has done was bring our family closer than ever before,” Krueger said. “I can just tell people let your faith be stronger than your fear. Daddy taught us so much. The concept of marriage and loving your spouse in everything. He taught us how to keep pushing and never to give up.”
The foundation is hosting another benefit in honor of Allan. The 2nd annual Allan Dreibrodt Memorial Fundraiser is taking place August 10 at the Columbus Club Hall in Seguin. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with a big dinner, gift card raffle, live and silent auctions. As before, all proceeds will go to benefit youth agriculture projects at the livestock show and scholarships for graduating seniors.
“I wear my dad’s boots every single day because I want to tell myself, while I will never fill his boots, if I am half the man that he was, I will be a success. This foundation and fundraiser is not about us, or about anybody else. This is about making sure these kids have what they want and need because that is what dad would have wanted. That is what he did want.”
For tickets to the fundraiser, you can pick them up at Gift and Gourmet in Seguin, or you can call (830) 305-2094.
If you know someone like Allan Dreibrodt who is making a difference in the South Texas community or who has a unique story, send us your tips. Contact Japhanie Gray on Facebook or @JGrayKSAT on Twitter. You can also send your tips to KSAT 12 & KSAT.com on Facebook.
