The tight-knit farming community of Galava, Illinois, found out that one of their own was unfortunately battling with terminal cancer and experiencing trouble harvesting his 450 acres of corn, they all came together in spectacular fashion with their combines to get the job done.
Jason Bates said his cousin, Carl Bates, was in no fit condition to harvest his field on his own.
That’s why Jason’s father, Dan, took it upon himself to go to his friends and neighbors last month, asking if they would help pitch in with the heavy workload.
For the Bates family, the response was overwhelming.
On September 25, some 40 people armed with 10 combines, a dozen grain carts and 16 semi-trucks converged on Carl Bates’ farm in the small town of 2,560 and went to work harvesting corn.
‘It took about 10 hours to harvest all 450 acres, which would have otherwise taken us nearly a week,’ Jason Bates said.
In fact, so many people offered to help that the Bateses were forced to turn some away, reported KWQC.
Dan Bates told the station Fox 59 that with the harvest behind them, Carl’s family can now sell the corn and use the proceeds to cover his considerable medical expenses. Instead of worrying about money, they can now focus on his care.
‘It’s tough enough to have Carl in the situation that he is in and the time he has left, but knowing that everybody cares so much and is willing to do that that says everything and that’s why you live in places like this,’ said Jason.
