Buck McKeown Threw Away His Crutches

Buck McKeown Threw Away His Crutches SPECIALTY/SERVICES Specialty/Services 6-1-17 After recuperating from a pto accident in 1974 that took both his legs and nearly cost him his life, W.E. "Buck" McKeown, of Moberly, Mo., was outfitted with full length artificial legs that he says were cumbersome and required crutches to get around on. Neither hand was free and, if he fell, it was almost impossible to get up alone. Simple tasks became monumental. One day, a hired hand left a bucket in front of the house that belonged in the barn. "I went out to get the bucket and fell down. I was there two hours trying to get up," McKeown recalls. Finally, fed up with his lack of mobility, McKeown traded in his full-length artificial legs for what he calls "shorties". With shorties, he can get around without crutches and climbs into his automobile or plane with less difficulty. Although McKeown turned his farrow to finish hog operation over to three grandsons after his accident, he remains active. Much of his time is spent visiting accident victims who have lost arms or legs. "If I hear about a fellow in another town who has lost his arms or legs, I'll go see him, to visit with him and hopefully help simplify his problems," says McKeown. "I once visited a man who hadn't been out of his house for over a year. Everybody has a need to get out. I'm there to give them that push." When he's not sharing experiences with others, McKeown spends much of his time flying his own airplane. He also teaches flight ground school at his home two nights a week. If you'd like to contact him, he can be reached at: FARM SHOW Followup, W. E. "Buck" McKeown, Moberly, Mo. 65270 (ph 816 263-5225).

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