Luke Barclay was 17-year-old last summer when while he was welding a petroleum tank on his family’s farm in London Mills, the tank exploded and left Barclay with 2nd and 3rd degree burns for which he was life-flighted to Memorial Hospital in Springfield.
He was released after 95 days according to the Canton Daily Ledger and the recovery process for Barclay, now 18, has been filled with treatments and medications.
Family friend Mark Hanlin tells Galesburg’s Morning News on WGIL that some great things have happened in the days since Barclay’s life changing accident.
“The family has pointed that out that something went wrong and since then a lot of things have gone right,” Hanlin says.
Hanlin says there’s been an outpouring of community support both emotionally and financially.
“It’s really easy to say I could’ve been that parent, that could’ve been my child,” Hanlin says.
On Saturday a benefit to help defray Barclay’s medical expenses will be held at Spoon River Valley High School from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The benefit will include a fish fry, bingo, silent auction, trivia bowl, quarter auction and “PTO carnival” games.
“If anyone’s ever had medical expenses, even a minor surgery, when you get that bill your copay is outrageous,” Hanlin says. “Probably multiply it by a thousand times what any normal person would ever experience,” Hanlin says.
To those interested in donating to Luke Barclay and can’t attend Saturday Hanlin encourages messaging the Facebook group Luke Barclay benefit.
