Andy Detwiler
{{Short description|American farmer (1969–2022)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Andy Detwiler
|birth_name = Thomas Andrew Detwiler{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/12/us/andy-detwiler-dead.html|title=Andy Detwiler, Armless Farmer Who Became a YouTube Star, Dies at 52|work=The New York Times|first=Alex|last=Traub|date=October 12, 2022|access-date=October 14, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://meaww.com/thomas-andrew-detwiler-you-tuber-harmless-farmer-dies-of-aneurysm-aged-52|title=Thomas Andrew Detwiler: Armless farmer and YouTube sensation dies of aneurysm at 52|work=Meaww|first=Piyush|last=Arora|date=October 14, 2022|access-date=October 14, 2022}}
|birth_date = {{birth date|1969|11|24}}
|birth_place = Urbana, Ohio, U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|2022|09|21|1969|11|24}}
|death_place = Urbana, Ohio, U.S.
|occupation = Farmer
|spouse = {{marriage|Corkey Wallace
|1996}}
}}
Thomas Andrew Detwiler (November 24, 1969 – September 21, 2022), also known as Harmless Farmer, was an American farmer who lost both of his arms in an accident as a very young child, and was known for his YouTube videos.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/10/12/metro/andy-detwiler-armless-farmer-who-became-youtube-star-dies-52/|title=Andy Detwiler, armless farmer who became a YouTube star, dies at 52|first=Alex|last=Traub|work=The Boston Globe|date=October 12, 2022|access-date=October 14, 2022}}
Biography
Detwiler was born in Urbana, Ohio, the son of a farmer and a middle school teacher. He had a sister and a brother. At the age of two, his paternal grandfather was working on a screw conveyor. Detwiler came up to his grandfather and imitated him, but came too close to the screw conveyor, losing both of his arms and receiving cuts to his face. He was rushed to the hospital.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/825380032/|title=Double Amputee Meets Challenge|work=Springfield News-Sun|location=Springfield, Ohio|date=January 31, 1973|access-date=October 14, 2022|page=3|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}}
At the age of nine, Detwiler was recognized by Ace Elliott who worked for the Dayton Daily News, in which Elliott noted that Detwiler could write with his legs.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/405623775/|title=Andy lives life to the fullest despite handicap|first=Ace|last=Elliott|work=Dayton Daily News|location=Dayton, Ohio|date=May 20, 1979|access-date=October 14, 2022|page=25|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}} Detwiler attended Salem Elementary School{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/825555480/|title=Handicapped Boy Subject Of Film|work=Springfield News-Sun|location=Springfield, Ohio|date=June 26, 1977|access-date=October 14, 2022|page=47|via=Newspapers.com}} {{Closed access}} and West Liberty-Salem High School, graduating in 1988.
Detwiler decided to make a YouTube channel on March 3, 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/c/HarmlessFarmerAndyDetwiler/|title=Harmless Farmer – Andy Detwiler|work=YouTube|access-date=October 14, 2022}} His first video, called Welcome to the Farm, was posted on November 1, 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=-9mHXlDuQZ0|title=Welcome to the Farm|work=YouTube|author=Andy Detwiler|date=November 1, 2018|access-date=October 14, 2022|location=West Liberty, Ohio}} He thought of receiving money while making YouTube videos for which he had gained popularity while his channel was receiving views in YouTube. He and his wife, Corkey Wallace, had one child, a daughter, Kylie Detwiler.
In 2020, Detwiler announced that he had been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He then was afflicted with pneumonia and suffered an aneurysm. His last video was called New Tires For The Oliver 1600, which was posted on September 17, 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQyYYDOT01M|title=New Tires For The Oliver 1600|work=YouTube|author=Andy Detwiler|date=September 17, 2022|access-date=October 14, 2022}} Detwiler died from the aneurysm on September 21, 2022, in Urbana, Ohio, aged 52.
References
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Category:People from Urbana, Ohio
Category:20th-century American farmers