By Kylee Wierks - Web Producer for FOX59.COM
GALVA, Ill. (October 7, 2025) – An Illinois community came together to help a man with terminal cancer harvest 450 acres of corn.
Jason Bates writes in a lengthy Facebook post that his cousin Carl Bates has terminal cancer and doesn’t have much time left to live. With his health failing, Carl’s cousin Dan Bates began to wonder how Carl would harvest his 450 acres of corn.
Dan spoke with some of Carl’s neighbors, and Dan says “it all just exploded from there.”
On Friday, September 25th, 40 neighbors and friends showed up at Carl’s farm to help him reap his harvest.
They used 10 combines, 12 grain carts, and 16 semi-trucks to harvest all 450 acres of Carl’s farm in 10 hours. According to Jason, the same amount of work normally takes an entire week!
Fortunately, Carl was feeling strong enough to go outside and thank all of his neighbors for donating their time and money to help.
“(Carl Bates’ family) has so much going on right now, with medical bills and the condition he’s in,” said Dan. “This is one less thing they have to worry about. If they need to sell (the corn) to pay bills, it’s done. They can now worry about Carl and take care of him.”
Jason says Carl is currently in hospice at home.
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Another of the millions of heartwarming faith renewing stories that occur on a daily basis in this Great Country, day after day, year after year from Sea to shinning Sea….. it’s good that some get reported while the many are carried in the hearts and memories of those who encounters them … Our better Angels move us to God’s Will ……..
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And that’s a big AMEN
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Well stated slcraignbc. Sounds just like our current neighborhood. While I am typing this I am listening to the news from the city where we used to live and they are reporting two shootings in our old neighborhood.
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