Volunteers step in to harvest crops after farmer crushed while changing a semi truck tire 

A farmer crushed while changing a semi truck tire is getting harvesting help from a group of volunteers working with a nonprofit. 

Ray Glover has been farming his entire 60 years of life in Wayne County, Illinois. In August, his 60 year streak came to a halt when he was crushed by a semi truck while changing its tire. 

“I was changing tires on semi and had a semi fall on me and pin me down,” Glover said, explaining that the rig came off the jack, causing a collapsed lung, kidney and liver lacerations, and a few broken ribs. 

Now that it’s time to harvest his corn, nonprofit Farm Rescue has stepped in to help make sure his crops don’t go to waste just because Glover needs to stay home and recover. 

“Farm Rescue is the only organization in the country that I know of doing this type of event field work. So we’re here with one of our combines and three volunteers harvesting about 500 acres of corn for the family,” Farm Rescue Field Operations manager, Ben Smith said to 14 News.

“I just kind of put myself in the shoes of the farmer. If something tragic were to happen to my family, I would be so grateful for volunteers to come in and help me get my crop out,” said Alex Spiros, a volunteer with the organization. 

Many of the volunteers took vacation days off from their own jobs to help get the work done. 

“It’s humbling and very much appreciated,” Glover said. “I know God watched over me [during my accident]. I have a purpose to figure out I guess.”

The group will be working all week and has been finishing around 100 acres a day.