Bill Cotton has farmed in Hillsboro, North Dakota his entire life, and this spring he was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. Chemotherapy has filled his summer, which meant his sugar beet harvest was suddenly in doubt. That’s when his neighbors stepped in. Dozens of farmers arrived Wednesday with an estimated 70 to 80 trucks and multiple harvesters to bring in his crop at no cost.
The people who know Bill best weren’t surprised to see the turnout. One neighbor said that whenever anything is happening in the community, Bill is always the one to step up and help. His wife Sheila and brother Greg say the family will remember this harvest as the day their small town showed how big its heart is. His chemo is expected to continue for another three months, and the family has set up a GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses.
Stories like this land a little differently here on the Suncoast, where we know what it looks like when neighbors help each other through a storm, a tough season, or a hard year. Whether it’s a beet field in North Dakota or a driveway full of storm debris in Sarasota, the same truth holds: people show up for people they love.
Who’s a neighbor you’re grateful for? Tell us in the comments.
