A family in Arthur is very grateful to all those involved for saving their son’s leg and foot in a farming accident.

Back in September 2020, at Shawridge Farms in Arthur, 15-year-old Wesley Weber was cleaning out a silo and got his leg caught in a grain conveyor.

Wyatt Morrison, operations superintendent with Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service, spoke with the emergency medical services (EMS) crew on the scene that day, and they said his lower leg was very badly injured.

“On first evaluation, they (EMS) assumed — I believe the wording was 'partially amputated or severely damaged […] from the knee down,'” Morrison said.

Wesley’s father, Darcy Weber, said the employees at Shawridge were able to free his leg before first responders arrived, but there was a fear that he was going to lose it.

“That’s what we’re incredibly grateful for, that they were able to save his leg and his foot,” Darcy said.  “A lot of accidents like this involve the loss of a foot, or a leg.”

Brad Bodz, platoon captain with the Wellington North Fire Service in Arthur who was on the scene, said the employees reacted perfectly when the accident occurred.

“They were able to get on the horn to 911 as quick as possible, and like I said, we (Fire Service) were there after OPP, and EMS, and they had a lot of good things going before we got there,” Bodz said.

However, Bodz said it was a challenging rescue to get Wesley out and down from the grain silo.

“It was definitely tricky, there was a lot of tight spaces, but with the help of OPP, EMS, and the employees […] it worked like a well-oiled machine, and I was surprised at how efficiently it worked, and how quickly we were able to get him out of there,” Bodz said.

Today, Wesley celebrates his 16th birthday and his father, Darcy, said at this point, his recovery is going really well and he’s coping well with the accident.

“I think his faith has pulled him through in a lot of ways, I believe that God is good, and the importance of positivity,” Darcy said.

Wesley credits Shawridge Farms employee, Larry, for keeping him calm and comfortable the entire time of the accident, and even after first responders arrived.

He spent six weeks and two days at McMaster Hospital in Hamilton.

Darcy said Wesley had a muscle removed from his back to put on the leg that he injured, which was followed by a bunch of skin grafts.

Wesley is currently on crutches, as he broke his ankle during the accident and it's still healing.

Darcy Weber, Wesley's father: