Beloved Minnesota butcher Curtis Olson killed in crash: "He was so full of energy"

APPLETON, Minn. — A western Minnesota town is mourning the loss of a beloved butcher.

Curtis Olson, 35, was killed a week ago this past Sunday after his pickup truck collided with an SUV near the town of Milan. Other family members in the truck were hurt, as was the driver of the SUV.

"It's been a lot of sad, a lot of shock. There's been a lot of people who can't believe it," said Cody Oslund.

Appleton, Minnesota is a small town of about 1,300 people, which means pretty much everyone knows the local butcher.

"He was always so full of energy and just excited to just be here," Oslund said. "He raised me like a son. You asked him, he would have told me I was the fifth child."

For years, Oslund worked next to his uncle every day. Olson was one of the head butchers at the Meat Center, and his wife Amy worked there, too.

"They were the face of this place. I mean, whenever somebody called in they would ask for Curtis or Amy," Oslund said.

This is why not seeing their faces at work has been such a shock for Oslund. Amy Olson suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash, and their two teenage sons were also hurt.

The boys are both recovering, and family members said Amy's condition has improved, but she remains hospitalized.

For Oslund, going to work without his uncle has been a struggle.

"He was like a staple of the community. Everybody knew him, and everybody had something good to say about him. And then hearing that he's gone just like that, I mean nobody really knows how to respond," he said.

There will be a fundraiser and silent auction on Dec. 2 at the Appleton VFW to help the Olson family. More than 100 items have already been donated. 

The 31-year-old driver of the SUV that collided with Olson's truck is also recovering. The Minnesota State Patrol says people in both vehicles were wearing their seatbelts.