By james art 
ST. CLOUD, Minn. (KARE) — A Minnesota hospital volunteer has put in 43,566 unpaid hours in a place that feels like home.
At CentraCare Hospital St. Cloud employs a total of 700 volunteers.
This includes Judy Griffin in the gift shop and Pat Rauch in the lobby.
Both are rookies compared to Kathy Carriar.
“I’ve been a volunteer for 21 years,” Cariar said.
That’s impressive, but Ron Hemmesh is a “legend” at the hospital.
Hemmesch has more than 40,000 volunteer hours.
“At the top, yes, his story is just incredible,” said Janene Riedemann, who leads volunteers at the hospital.
Hemmesch has volunteered primarily at the hospital post office, up to 12 hours a day for the past 27 years.
“If he didn’t come, we would be worried,” Riederman said.
Hemmesch landed in the hospital, ironically, due to a medical condition.
“Osteogenesis imperfecta. It is a brittle bone disease that is passed down through inheritance,” Hemmesh said.
This is a particularly cruel condition for a young man who works on his parents’ farm.
“One time all I did was reach into the tractor to get on the tractor seat, get on the tractor and the arm broke,” Hemmesh said. “A long time, they took the cast off in the morning, and at night I put it back because I broke it again.”
Hemmesch’s doctor recommended low-impact volunteer work at the hospital, so the mailroom became his home.
Over the years, when Hemmesh lost both his parents and other family members, the hospital became a family for him.
“No marriage, no children. I feel like family when I’m here,” Hemmesh described.
It feels empty now that he’s not there.
“It’s been over a year now,” Hemmesh said. “I just can’t get my leg back moving.”
Hemmesh broke several bones in the fall. They are still not completely healed.
“I really want to come back,” Hemmesh said.
During a visit this week, several hundred of Hemmesch’s colleagues greeted him at the door, knowing what the place meant to him.
Its newest number is now official, and there’s a new name for the mailroom.
“This mailroom is gratefully dedicated to Ron Hemmesh.”
Hemmesh looked at the plaque that saluted his 43,566 volunteer hours.
“I really enjoyed it. It was the best part of my life,” Hemmesh said.
He hopes they will need an update.
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