Last week, the Grinnell community lost beloved mailman Dwayne Kriegel. Kriegel had been the town’s mailman since 1985, and his route included the area surrounding Grinnell College.
On Tuesday, August 22nd, while reaching into a mailbox, Kriegel was stung multiple times on the hand by a wasp, which resulted in an allergic reaction. When paramedics arrived, he was already without a pulse. Officials were then able to revive him, and he was airlifted to a medical center. However, since he had been without oxygen for ten minutes, Kriegel had suffered severe brain damage. Following his previous wishes, the Kriegel family decided to take him off of life support a few days later. The donation of his organs will serve to give others life, and his family is encouraging people to sign up to be organ donors just as Kriegel was.
According to Dwayne Kriegel’s obituary at Smith Funeral Home, being a postal carrier was his dream job. He made friends with the people he delivered to along his route and was a proud father. During his time working for the postal service, he trained over one hundred and fifty employees in the area. He was someone that the Grinnell community could always count on.
An avid fan of the Iowa State Cyclones, Dwayne and his wife, Tammy Kriegel, had planned to attend the opening game of the season. Instead, updates of the game were given throughout Kriegel’s funeral.
Mrs. Kriegel is hopeful that her husband’s death can bring about more awareness around insect stings and the danger they can inflict. It’s quite common for adults and children to not realize that they have an allergy to the insect. However, they can get tested anytime through an allergist.
The Grinnell community is lucky to have had Dwayne as a mailman for 34 years. He was a deliverer of more than just mail — also bringing with him joy and a love of life to the Grinnell community. Dwayne’s dedication to his job, family and the Grinnell community will hopefully continue to inspire citizens and students alike to cherish life and those around them.
