Thursday 13 October 2022 10:04 PM Armless farmer who became YouTube star dies of aneurysm at 52 while being ... trends now
An inspirational armless farmer from Ohio who became a YouTube star for driving machinery with his feet has passed away at 52 from an aneurysm.
Thomas Andrew 'Andy' Detwiler, of Urbana, near Columbus, died on September 21 after suffering an aneurysm after he contracted pneumonia. He was also being treated for esophageal cancer.
His wife Corkey said in a farewell video she noticed Andy had started 'breathing funny' the day before he passed.
The following day the couple headed to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and had low sugar levels.
After medical staff was able to level out his sugar, he said he started feeling better, according to Corkey, but then he suddenly sat up straight and gasped in pain.
'He couldn't catch his breath, he was looking at me terrified,' Corkey said in the video. 'He couldn't speak.'
They would have to intubate him and had plans to send him to a hospital in Springfield, but he 'crashed' before they could load him up in the ambulance.
'He died in Urbana,' Corkey said, her voice thick with emotion. Despite Detwiler's missing arms - which were lost in a childhood farming accident - he didn't let his disabilities stop him.
The farmer, who had a large following on YouTube, learned to shoot a gun, drive a tractor and feed animals all without arms.
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Thomas Andrew 'Andy' Detwiler, of Urbana, near Columbus, died on September 21 after suffering an aneurysm after he contracted pneumonia
The YouTube star and farmer shared many videos with his 130,000 followers, including a shot of him driving a tractor
After losing his arms in a farming incident when he was two, the farmer learned to using his feet and legs to maneuver through life, including learning how to drive, feed animals, and shoot a gun
In addition to the aneurysm, he was being treated for esophageal cancer and shared updates on his YouTube page
Despite his health struggles, Andy was able to smile through the pain
Andy lost his arms after he fell into a grain auger, which amputated his arms. He fought for his life for five weeks in the hospital
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Andy lost his arms on July 18, 1972, when he was two years old. His grandfather, Bick Detwiler, was operating a grain auger and would periodically reach back to the auger to test the wheat for moisture.
Andy, who had been nearby watching, decided to mimic his grandfather and when he went to stick his hand into the auger, he fell into the spiral-shaped drill.
By the time his grandfather was able to pull him out, Andy's arms had been amputated.
After five long weeks in the hospital, the young boy survived,
