Life can change in a split second.
A farmer from North Dakota, Lane Unhjem, knows exactly what this means.
Lane was going about his daily routine when something terrifying happened.
As he always does, Lane was using his modern combined harvester vehicle (or a combine) when it caught fire. Those who farm know that having a broken combine is a huge problem since it is designed to efficiently harvest crops. Farmers need this vehicle to earn their keep.
So, Lane had to do what anyone in his shoes would do — he tried to fight the fire. Unfortunately, his combine was already badly damaged. Lane could not do too much to prevent the degradation.
Things got even worse as Lane suffered from a heart attack while saving his combine.
Between fighting the fire and suffering a heart attack, you would think that Lane would be in shambles. Well, he was definitely not! His neighbors, who were helping him rescue his combine, did not notice that their friend was already experiencing a life-threatening event.
However, Lane was aware that something was wrong. He decisively asked neighbours to be bring him to the hospital. Talk about presence of mind!
Unfortunately, Lane’s recovery has not been easy.
Though Lane had been brought to the hospital on time, his medical condition was very dire. He had to prolong his stay as his medical team monitored his progress. They also continued to conduct more tests on Lane to ensure he receives excellent treatment.
As a result, Lane’s field was left untended.
Lane’s situation was taking a turn for the worse. As his medical bills increased, his income decreased. After all, his main livelihood was jeopardised as he could not tend to his fields.
His neighbors decided to get together and help our hero!
To help ease Lane’s burdens, about 40 – 50 neighbors and friends of his, decided to work on his fields for free. To illustrate what a massive project this was, about 12 combines showed up in Lane’s fields to harvest for the day! They say this is common for small-towns. However, kindness no matter how ordinary it appears, is always extraordinary.
Lane’s family was very touched by the gesture.
In Lane’s Go Fund Me page, his daughter Samantha wrote this:
Divide County is the definition of Heartland ❤️!!The pictures of the incredible crew that hauled our hay today are in the comments. Our neighbors & community continue to be a beacon of hope & support…
What makes this even more remarkable is these incredible people did it because it was the right thing to do.
Not for publicity or fame.
But because when a person is in need this is what the people of Divide County & ND do:
You step up & you take care of your neighbor. Helping others is the way of life here.
It is your support and your prayers and positive energy that we have shared with each other & Lane to guide us through and inspired him to “claw his way back” as one Dr put it.
And it is this same light that I have no doubt Continues to lead us out of the woods…
The neighbors’ kindness did not go unnoticed
When Don Anderson posted about Lane’s community helping out, the story got the attention of many. Comments highlighting how united they were for Lane were written left and right. Ironically, their county is called Divide though its residents sure are united!
This story gets even better. As of January 2021, the family has raised over $13,000 for Lane’s medical bills. Isn’t that awesome?
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