GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV)
A year ago Local 5 profiled a survivor of the Barneveld tornado in southern Wisconsin which killed nine people in 1984. Over that year, much has happened in that Green Bay man’s life – thanks to our report and the kindness of strangers. Kris Schuller has an update.
On the anniversary of a tornado that wiped Barneveld off the map, two men train, both bonded by fate.
Thirty-two years ago Trevor Simon’s parents and sister were killed when their home was destroyed in that storm. Not quite two years old, Trevor was left paralyzed from the waist down. He told us in a story we aired May 2015, the tornado is something he can’t recall.
“Remembering something you had and losing it would be a lot more difficult than starting from the ground up,” said Simon.
Stuart Kolb saw that story. Turns out he worked as a high school teacher in Barneveld just weeks after the tornado.
“I saw a lot of angst in people down there the year of the tornado,” Kolb said.
He’d never met Trevor but decided right then he was going to.
“I made the call to Trevor introduced myself and said I’d spent a couple years in Barneveld after this tornado,” Kolb said.
“Because of that connection he reached out and wanted to meet me,” Simon said.
“Just listening to him – this guy seems like he needs a little more outlook, a little bit more activity in his life,” said Kolb.
And now Simon does, thanks to Kolb, who is an accomplished runner. But also because of myTeam Triumph, an organization dedicated to helping those with a disability enjoy the sport of running. The group is allowing Simon to use their hand cycle to train – and for running events.
“It’s really awesome to see someone so experience and accomplished work with someone else who is really developing their physical ability,” said Christian Jensen of myTeam Triumph.
Once a week Simon and Kolb get together to train, have dinner – sometimes even for a weekend up north at the Kolb family cabin.
“I never knew all the nice bike trials and stuff we have around here,” said Simon.
“It is certainly inspiring for me to run alongside him and help him out,” Kolb said. “Trevor has almost become an extended member of the family.”
“I think mutually they are empowering one another,” Jensen added.
They once were two strangers brought together by fate – yet now bonded by connections to a tornado 32 years ago; fast friends – sharing time – rolling down the road.
“You just never know where your experiences in life are going to bring you and what comes full circle,” Kolb said.
Trevor is trying to raise enough money to buy his own hand cycle. If you would like to help, follow this link to a GoFundMe website set-up to take donations.
Photo: GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV)
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