By Staci DaSilva
sdasilva@kcautv.com
It was just about 7 months ago when 69-year old Gary Reeves of Le Mars went to visit his doctor to run some tests.
"It lit up like a Christmas tree, all over my body," said Gary Reeves.
It was cancer in his bones, and soon after, his liver, lungs and lymph nodes. Eight tumors have now settled in his brain.
"It's been really tough because I like to get out and work, walk, do things and I haven't been able to do that," said Reeves.
And just last year, it was his wife Linda, with the life-changing diagnosis: Breast cancer.
Linda Reeves said, "You never think that this is going to happen to you, when you are young, you don't see that ahead of you. But when it does come it's a shock."
While her cancer is now gone, Gary's treatment continues.
The two have farmed fields near Le Mars since they got married 49 years ago.
Gary usually takes the wheel himself during harvest season but as you can imagine, this year, he just wasn't able to.
So what would become of their 640 acres?
What the reeves worried tirelessly over, soon turned into a glimmer of hope when their son saw a Farm Rescue flyer while eating dinner at a restaurant.
Gary Reeves said, "So my son Greg read it and gave it to my other son Garrett and then brought it out to me and said 'Dad, you better read this'."
So Gary picked up the phone, and on the other end were Carol and Levy Wielenga. The husband and wife team are volunteers with the Farm Rescue program.
They're able to combine and truck crops for farmers hit with illness, injury or natural disaster, free of charge thanks to business sponsors.
Carol Wielenga said, "Levy and I love to serve, we also love to drive truck and run this equipment. And to be able to put the two together, it feels great knowing that we are helping them get through another year, and getting to the next spring or the next harvest with that peace in their mind."
The program started 7 years ago but has just recently come to Iowa.
And for the Reeves, that's a little piece of good news, in a very tough time.
Gary Reeves said, "It's a God-sent blessing that we got somebody to do this for us. I didn't know about it and they are really wonderful people."
If you or someone you know could benefit from the Farm Rescue program, you can apply at farmrescue.org.
