Dozens of farmers in North Dakota put their harvests on hold last week to help a neighbor who experienced a heart attack after his combine caught fire.
“Lane Unhjem was in the middle of harvesting when he went into cardiac arrest near Crosby, North Dakota,” according to KFYR.
When community members heard what happened, they brought 11 combines, six grain carts, and 15 semis to help get his durum wheat and canola in the bin, the report said.
“I talked to a couple of farmers, got their equipment, and then other people just started calling and we had equipment offered from all over the place in the county, and their workers to go with it,” friend Jenna Binde told the outlet.
In a Facebook post on September 12, Crosby resident Don Anderson praised those who stepped up to help the Unhjem family in their time of need:
“The Unhjems have a beautiful crop that will be safe in the bins today, and more importantly they have the comfort of knowing that they have a community of friends that are helping, praying and doing whatever they can to help them get through this tough time,” Anderson wrote.
“What a great sense of pride we can all have knowing that when we face something like this, we’re not alone,” he continued.
Anderson also shared photos of the farmers after they finished their work on Sunday:
“These guys and gals harvested 1000 acres in just under 7 1/2 hours today. Just like a well oiled machine. It was a good day for these North Dakota farmers,” he wrote.
Binde said everyone in the surrounding area knew the Unhjem family and called them “good people.”
“You help your neighbor out when they need it, and don’t expect anything in return,” she commented.
Following his heart attack, Unhjem was flown to a hospital in Minot where he remained in stable condition and his family said he has a long road to recovery, according to CNN.