Aniwa, WI — A farm accident in September nearly severed one of Dillon Breyer’s hands. When he came home from the hospital on Sunday, a parade of 18 tractors was there to welcome him.
Dillon Breyer, 22, was surprised by the line of heavy equipment along Church Road as he returned to his home after being released from the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, said his father Doug Breyer. Dillon had been hospitalized for more than 30 days as he underwent several operations and battled an infection in a successful effort to save his hand.
“It was just overwhelming,” Doug said. “(Dillon) was just totally blown away. … There is a real sense of community here. We’re always thinking of the neighbor, and what they need. You support them and do what you can. That’s basically what it comes down to.” Dillon’s mother, Cindy Breyer, was driving Dillon home from Madison, and his brother Derek, 19, was driving the lead tractor in the parade. Dillon was working at nearby Matsche Farms on September 29, helping unload corn from a semi’s hopper trailer. After the corn feed had been off-loaded, the truck moved forward when Dillon expected it to back up, and Dillon’s wrist and hand got caught between the trailer and a chute for an auger. Immediately after the accident, Dillon was taken by medical helicopter to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, then flown to UW Hospital. For a while, Dillon and his family thought he would lose the hand, but surgeons ultimately were able to save it.
The parade was organized by Dillon’s aunt, Sandy Schmidt. The tractors came from nine farms in the area, including a few from Matsche farms. “Dillon is part of our family,” said Heather Matsche, who owns the farm with her husband, Chris Matsche. “It brought tears to our eyes to see all those tractors roll down the road.” Dillon will still need to undergo medical procedures and physical therapy as the healing process continues.
Source: Wausau Daily Herald