News
Minnesota family race in memory of "Poppa"
Owatonna People’s Press
OWATONNA, MN — The Janke family has thought of a perfect way to remember a lost family member: They are going to do what he, in his final days, could not.
Fifteen family members of Harley Janke will be running in the Steele County Free Fair 4-mile run on Aug. 20. Last year, seven members ran in a 4-mile run. They were running in honor of Janke, who suffered from COPD, which was caused by Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.
Margaret Janke, Nancy Janke and Dale Janke
Janke died at age 69 on March 6 from emphysema caused by Apha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.
From July 2010 to January, the family hoped he would receive a double-lung transplant, or at the very least a left lung transplant. He was unable to get on the transplant list. His wife Nancy said when skin cancer was found, there was no chance of Janke receiving a transplant.
