Welcome home, Uncle Willy

The words stamped across bright orange shirts and sweatshirts worn in solidarity with Willy VanWassenhove, a Kankakee County farmer who was seriously injured in a September accident, seemed to perfectly sum up the spirit that led the 46-year-old to finally return home Saturday – “Willy Strong.”

After six intense months which involved 15 surgeries, the amputation of his right leg above the knee and physical therapy at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, VanWassenhove received a warm welcome home in Cabery.

“We had a view of the lake at the hospital, but I’d rather just look out the window at the cornstalks in the field,” Willy said.

“There’s nothing like a country sunset,” said Lisa VanWassenhove, Willy’s wife.

More than 50 people lined the streets of the village, many cheering and holding colorful signs as Willy received a police escort to the Cabery Fire Department, where he is a firefighter.

The escort included the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office as well as Herscher police and fire departments.

Members of the Cabery, Campus, Chatsworth, Kempton, Cullom and Saunemin fire departments were among those waiting for the escort to arrive.

Family, friends and community members took turns eagerly greeting Willy, who was “overwhelmed” by the amount of support but remained in good spirits, chatting and laughing with guests who gathered for a welcome-home party.

“It was kind of overwhelming when I seen all the firetrucks and everyone standing on Main Street,” he said. “There was people [standing] in four or five places in Herscher. It was really nice to see everyone.”

The Cabery farmer, who operates a hog farm and hay baling business in addition to working as an inspector for the Illinois Department of Agriculture, is known simply as “Uncle Willy” to many local children, including those not related to him.

The co-superintendent of swine for the Kankakee County Fair and chairman of the 4-H auction, Willy is heavily involved in local 4-H and Future Farmers of America endeavors, having been inducted into the Illinois 4-H Hall of Fame in 2023.

He is looking forward to resuming his life.

“I’ve got to be back for the 4-H auction, got to run it and the fair in August,” he said. “I’ll help out here at the fire department with paperwork and stuff. … I have to keep busy. I get bored. I don’t sit still very long.”

“Those things keep him mentally strong, because he’s got something to look forward to,” Lisa said.

In addition to the “Willy Strong” gear worn by many well-wishers, some clothing and signs also encouraged driver safety and awareness surrounding farmers and farm equipment.

The bright-orange, triangular sign for slow-moving equipment was displayed on the backs of T-shirts and sweatshirts.

Willy’s grueling road to recovery began when he had pulled over to the side of the road to secure a couple of rocking hay bales, and another vehicle rear-ended the hay rack he was hauling, pinning him between it and the truck and crushing his legs.

“Slow down and save a farmer,” some of the shirts and signs read.

Family and friends show support

Kevin Brozek, a member of the Cabery Fire Department, has known Willy for 30 years, and knows him for extending a helping hand, no matter what is needed or who is in need.

“I think there are wings on his back,” Brozek said. “Man, he’s got a good spirit.”

The Rev. Alberto Ramirez of the United Methodist Church visited Willy during his recovery.

“It is not easy [for the family],” Ramirez said. “It is a life change… To describe how they are taking this in one word, it is ‘resilient.’”

Ramirez also said the response to Willy’s situation has built community.

“The last time I visited him, he was feeling hope about the future and found purpose in the middle of this,” Ramirez said. “He can be an inspiration.”

Marla Behrends, Willy’s mother, described her emotions after her son was driven through town.

“I’m overwhelmed and overjoyed because he finally gets to come back home,” she said. “I hope no mother has to go through what has happened with him.”

Behrends is also excited for her son to resume his involvement in 4-H and FFA, as he has a strong passion for working with youth.

“He really is an ‘Uncle Willy’ to hundreds and hundreds of kids,” she said. “He is 46 and he had never gotten married until last year, but he had a whole big family of young kids.”

Willy said he still plans to do everything he did before, just a little differently.

“I won’t be able to stand in the ring at the pig show for eight hours; I’ll have to have someone else do it and I’ll be the one filling out the book,” he said. “Or maybe by summer, I can stand for eight hours, I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes.”

The next big move in his journey will be to receive a prosthetic leg, which may take a couple more months to build. He will be doing physical therapy three days a week to continue to build strength. He is now able to stand for about 11 minutes.

“I know that he’ll just continue to keep getting better and better, because he’s got that determination,” Marla said.

Dallas Behrends, a Clifton Central senior whose father is cousins with Willy, presented Willy and Lisa with a check for $6,510 raised at an auction by his school’s FFA chapter.

He noted Willy influenced his decision to get involved in the FFA and offered advice for his career path, which helped him decide to attend Joliet Junior College this fall.

“It’s a little bit of a relief having him home to help make decisions on the hogs and what not,” said Brian Behrends, Dallas’ father.

Brian and Dallas have been helping to take care of the hogs since Willy got injured.

Willy and Brian are six months apart in age, so they were “like brothers” growing up.

“He’s always willing to help anybody at any given time,” Brian said. “We’re happy he’s home.”

He added that his cousin is “truly ready to move forward.”

“He’s a strong man, and he fought a long, hard battle, and he will continue to fight, but he’s got it in him,” Brian said. “If anybody can do it, it’s him.”

Helping the helper

Tyler Loschen, a Clifton farmer, had been seriously injured in 2014 when he fell off a grain storage bin and broke his back.

Willy was one of the community members who helped harvest Loschen’s crops while he was recovering.

In 2016, Willy helped organize a group of more than 100 area farmers to harvest 620 acres for a Buckingham farmer who had been injured after falling from his truck while unloading hay for his cattle.

“It’s good to see him back,” Loschen said. “He is just a selfless person. He’s always there to help. His heart is always there for kids.”

While he has always been a helper, it is now Willy’s turn to receive help.

A group of close friends prepared his home for his return, including leveling the floors, widening doors and installing a roll-in shower and a ramp leading into the house, making it handicap accessible.

“We definitely have a strong, huge support system,” Lisa said. “It’s helped a lot. It makes it easier.”

“I’ll still help other people,” Willy said. “I mean, I’m fine, I’ll survive. It’s just a little bit different life, but I’ll be fine.”

Willy and Lisa VanWassenhove celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary March 16, one week before Willy’s homecoming.

Willy’s accident happened six months after the couple got married.

While their first year as husband and wife turned out differently than they expected, the experience has put life into perspective.

“We spent a little time on a vacation we didn’t plan,” Willy said.

“We made it through this,” Lisa said. “We can get through anything.”