Larry Kilgore broke his neck in an auto accident in May. He was driving back home from Iowa when, according to his brother, Daryl Kilgore, a car pulled out in front of him on a hidden farm road. Kilgore couldn’t avoid the car, hitting it and then running off the road, smashing into a telephone pole.

Kilgore was thrown through the front window from the impact, leaving him with a broken neck, among other bumps and bruises. Kilgore can’t remember whether he had his seat belt on, according to Daryl.

“I talked to him about it, and he says ‘well I think I was wearing it, but I can’t remember right now.’” Daryl said. “He hit that pole so hard, that he would’ve busted his seatbelt anywhere.”

Unfortunately, Kilgore was left wheelchair-bound, losing feeling in much of his body. There’s still some hope Kilgore can walk again, however. After a surgery that implanted three cadaver vertebrae into his spinal cord, Kilgore has regained feeling in his left toes, although he is left without feeling in his right leg, apart from random leg spasms every now and then. He can use his arms and elbows, though his hands are still a bit stiff, which doesn’t help when he tries to eat, according to Daryl.

The community has been kind to Kilgore. Thanks to a benefit in Adams, Kilgore now has a specialized van to transport him to places, including the three physical therapy sessions a week he has at St. Mary’s Hospital. His insurance has also partially covered his wheelchair and the specialized bed he now uses.

However, there are still plenty of medical bills and costs to pay, including payments on the van, wheelchair and bed. To that end, a benefit fundraiser for Kilgore is set for Sunday, Dec. 12 from noon to 3 p.m. at Crane Community Chapel’s community room.

There will be a silent auction set, with items including a $110 coupon from Echo Lanes Bowling Alley, which is enough for 10 people to bowl, including the cost of shoes. There are also donated items from Games People Play, some knitted items as well as donated rolls for lunch from HyVee.

“It’s been fantastic,” said Nada Kilgore, who along with her husband, Daryl, Larry, Larry’s wife and other family and friends have been working on the fundraiser since August. “It helps get the burden off the family as far as paying the insurance.”