About the Tessendorf Family:

Troy Tessendorf started experiencing back pain in mid-January 2025. It kept getting worse and doctors were unable to figure out why. Troy ended up in the emergency department on February 3, and by February 4, he was unresponsive and had to be intubated and sedated. That night, he was flown by helicopter to the University of Iowa hospital in Iowa City. After extensive testing, scans showed lesions on his brain and spine caused by bacteria in his blood stream originating from a bad tooth. The lesions caused swelling on his spinal cord, causing him to lose the use of his limbs from his shoulders down.

After 156 days in the hospital, Troy was finally able to go back home on July 8. While Troy is doing much better compared to six months ago, he is still fully quadriplegic and requires 24/7 care, which his wife Beth is providing. Insurance is thankfully covering a lot of his medical expenses, so the family's greatest need right now is funds to go toward converting their family vehicle to transport him. In the meantime, funds to help pay for transportation to doctors’ appointments and to help keep up with the monthly bills are also a continued need.

Troy and Beth currently live in Hillsdale with their daughters Autumn, 11, and April, 7. Beth (Bastian) is a native of rural Stephenson County and several of her family members currently work or have worked in dairy farming, including Mil-R-Mor herdsperson Jenny Weier!

Cowmunity Cares Farm Fun Day Benefit

at Mil-R-Mor Dairy Farm