CHARLESTON — What was expected to be a normal Saturday afternoon for 7-year-old Whyatt Yarnell turned out to be a day filled with gifts and semi trailers.
"There was a whole bunch of them that I wasn't expecting," said Lee Ann Dial, Whyatt's grandmother. "He was super excited and the first time he heard the horns go off he thought it was a train."
Organizers of the annual Coles County Truck Convoy and owners of Turn One Transportations, Mike and Molly Tilly of Woodstock, came together to give Whyatt Yarnell of Charleston the experience of riding around town in a semitruck.
Organizers of the annual Coles County Truck Convoy and owners of Turn One Transportations, Mike and Molly Tilly of Woodstock, came together to give Whyatt the experience of riding around town in a semi trailer.
People are also reading…
Whyatt was diagnosed with pineoblastoma, a rare brain cancer, in June 2019 and has recently developed leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, which are tumors in the lining around his brain and down his spine.
While radiation and chemotherapy are the two most common treatments, there is no cure for the disease and Whyatt only has about four months to live.
As a way to support and honor him, Turn One Transportations driver Tony Brown (right) decided to put together a small convoy just for Whyatt Yarnell (center) of Charleston.
As a way to support and honor him, Turn One Transportations driver Tony Brown decided to put together a small convoy just for Whyatt.
"It's just to make him smile, that's it. Giving him the wish and whatever he wants to do," Brown said. "If he wants to ride in a truck, we're gonna make that happen."
Starting at 106 Harrison Ave., the convoy made its way through town, passing families and friends of Whyatt cheering him on and waving signs with his name.
Whyatt Yarnell (center) opens gifts at the Airport Steakhouse at Coles County Memorial Airport with help from his mother Stephanie Yarnell (left) and father Zach Warnhoff (right).
Ellen Corrigan and her son Ian, 15, were yelling Whyatt's name just as the trucks started their route, and then waited for him when he got back.
"We don't know him personally, but we've been aware of the situation," Ellen said. "You can't help but feel for him and his family, so we just want to show our support for them."
Michelle Rose and Kaytlin French were standing near the intersection of Madison Avenue and 18th Street as the convoy passed. Both their children went to school with Whyatt.
Rose, who works at LifeLinks with Dial, said she's been working with other co-workers to help support Dial and Whyatt since his cancer diagnosis.
Organizers of the annual Coles County Truck Convoy and owners of Turn One Transportations, Mike and Molly Tilly of Woodstock, came together to give Whyatt the experience of riding around town in a semi trailer.
"For both of us, it hits too close to home," Rose said. "I know that I can speak for everybody at LifeLinks, we all are willing and we'll do what we can for her and the family."
Once the convoy dropped Whyatt off back home, everyone involved met at the Airport Steakhouse at Coles County Memorial Airport to gift Whyatt presents including a Monopoly playset, remote control cars, semi trailer models and some Spiderman gear.
"You guys shouldn't have," Whyatt said, as he opened his presents. "Now I can drive all by myself."
Organizers of the annual Coles County Truck Convoy and owners of Turn One Transportations, Mike and Molly Tilly of Woodstock, came together to give 7-year-old Whyatt Yarnell of Charleston the experience of riding around town in a semi trailer.
Before the day finished, Whyatt and his family also planned be in attendance at the Decatur Civic Center to drop the first puck at the Decatur Blaze's game.
Dial, who still could not believe this was all put together so quickly, said Whyatt loves being around family and other people, which made today even more special for him when he saw all the friendly faces.
"That's all this is about, we just want him to be happy for whatever remaining time he has left," Dial said. "We just want to do whatever we can to bring this child joy, so I truly appreciate everything that they've done today."
Illinois lawmakers react to invasion of Ukraine
Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.
Duckworth, who is a combat veteran and member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, said the U.S. and allies must "hold (Putin) and his cronies fully, painfully and immediately accountable."
“The human suffering caused—and any blood spilled—as a result of this unjustified and unjustifiable attack on Ukraine’s sovereign territory are solely on Vladimir Putin’s hands. Our nation, our NATO allies and all countries who value human rights, sovereignty and the rule of law must hold him and his cronies fully, painfully and immediately accountable. Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and inexcusable escalation of this violent invasion will succeed in only one thing: uniting the free world against Russia’s autocratic regime in support of Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty, its people and its right to self-governance.”
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Dick Durbin wrote on Twitter that this week he visited Lithuania, and talked with U.S. soldiers from Illinois who were training Lithuanian soldiers in a NATO exercise.
"This week, I had lunch w/ soldiers from Kankakee, Montgomery, & Latham, IL. They are in Lithuania training their soldiers in a NATO exercise. Now, they will awaken to the most dangerous land war in Europe since World War II. We need to stand together for them & thousands more like them.
"Let me be clear: Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine's sovereign land is a dire threat to the established international order and must be resolutely deterred.
Ukraine and our NATO allies facing ongoing Russian belligerence have strong bipartisan, bicameral support in the U.S. Congress. As someone who who has strong ties to the region, my prayers are with the Ukrainian people and all of Eastern Europe."
Illinois 17th Congressional District Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Illinois
Bustos, a member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, spoke on News Nation, a subscription television network, to say Americans "must put Country over party."
"We are protecting democracy in this. That is what this is about. We know this is far away from us from a miles perspective, but this is about protecting democracy and not allowing a leader like Vladimir Putin to continue to spread his authoritarian ways."
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker
Pritzker tweeted Wednesday night: "Tonight we stand together in prayer for the people of Ukraine and united in our resolve against the tyranny of a Russian autocrat determined to undermine democracy and threaten peace on the European continent."
