Paul Kari was moved to memorialize his armless friend, Andy Detwiler, who died in September of last year. Andy, also known as the Harmless Farmer lost his arms

URBANA, OHIO, UNITED STATES, August 11, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Paul Kari was moved to memorialize his armless friend, Andy Detwiler, who died in September of last year. Andy, also known as the Harmless Farmer, lost his arms at age two when he fell into a grain auger. Paul Kari was imprisoned eight years after his plane was shot down over North Vietnam. The two met and bonded in part because they both loved farming. They also shared a deep understanding of overcoming hardship. Andy learned to do all things that life ont the farm required. De drove trucks and tractors, repaired and hooked up equipment, ate, wrote beautifully and made cell phone calls with his feet.
Paul Kari was born in 1935 in Akron, Ohio. He was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program at Ohio State University on June 13, 1958, and began active duty July of 1958. Lt. Kari was awarded his pilot wings at Laredo AFB, Texas and then completed f-100 Super Sabre Combat Crew Traoining in July 1960. Capt Kari then deployed with the 45th TFS to Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand where he flew 64 combat missions before being forced to effect over North Vietnam and was taken prisoner of war in 1965. After spending 2,795 days in captivity, Major Kari was released in 1973. He was briefly hospitalized and recovered from his injuries at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. He then served as an instructor at the U>S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs until retiring from the Air Force in 1974.
Andy became well known beyond just Ohio through his pod casts. His amazing use of feet to do farm work and his charismatic dialogue lifted the spirits of many who struggled with personal issues as they witnessed his success in overcoming disability. The Pod Casts “The Harmless Farmer” featured him doing all kinds of farm work such as hooking up the power take off for a manure spreader, fueling tractors, putting nuts on bolts in hard to reach areas and driving large loaded grain trucks to market. The You Tube programs filmed in large part by his daughter Kylie reached over 137,000 subscribers and had over 47 million views. When he passed away from pneumonia in 2022 his huge circle of acquaintances and friends were deeply moved.
Among those friends was Paul Kari who wanted some kind of memorial. Ha at first imagined a mural to celebrate the memory of Andy. However the building where the mural would be painted sold and was no longer an option.
As the committee that had formed to carry out some kind of memorial met, sculptor Mike Major of Urbana happened to be spotted driving by and Committee member Dave Greenlee ran out and stopped him. The idea of a monument had surfaced and it was decided shortly thereafter to proceed with an eight foot tall bronze monument of Andy to be placed in a field just south of West Liberty, Ohio on land owned by his aunt and uncle.
Funds for the monument continue to be raised by the Champaign County Arts Council, 119 Miami Street, Urbana, Ohio 43078. Donations are tax deductable and the names of donors of $500 or more will be placed on a bronze plaque at the site. On-line contributions can be made at champaigncountyartscouncil.org

David Greenlee
Champaign County Arts Council
+1 937-631-4829
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