NC farmer home after Angus bull attack. Volunteers still needed, and a new truck.
The story was updated at 2:50 p.m. June 7, 2023.
Alamance County farmer Randy Lewis enjoyed his first home-cooked meal in a month Friday after being released from UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.
Lewis, 62, spent 26 days in the hospital after being attacked by a black Angus bull in the pasture of his home at Ran-Lew Dairy in the rural Eli Whitney community on May 7.
He was airlifted to UNC Hospitals, undergoing reconstructive surgery for five broken ribs and treatment for other injuries, including a broken collarbone, punctures in both lungs, and broken bones in his face and back.
On Friday, June 2, he returned home, where he settled in with a dinner of homemade “Burrito Magic,” according to a post on the farm’s Facebook page.
“He’s very tired and still has a long recovery ahead, but he’s glad to be back in his own house,” farm staff said in the post.
Staff and a team of more than 200 volunteers have kept Ran-Lew Dairy going during the farmer’s absence, planting new flowerbeds, feeding and milking the cows, and staffing an extensive fundraiser campaign that included barn dinners, karaoke, and T-shirt and raffle ticket sales.
Lewis made a guest appearance at some of the events, listening remotely as someone sang his requested song during a karaoke night at the Saxapahaw General Store and speaking via Zoom to the crowd that attended a Doc Branch Band performance and BBQ lunch at the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw.
Meanwhile, the GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $182,000 so far toward its $195,000 goal. Donations also can be made by check, volunteers said, and mailed to Randy and Teresa Lewis, 3978 Lewis Road, Snow Camp, NC 27349.
Lewis will need help for many months during his recovery, farm staff have said. They also are looking to replace his 2008 F250, which was totaled May 14 when a tree fell on it. The insurance payout left him with $15,000 to buy a new truck, staff said.
Lewis hopes to get “a good deal on a three-quarter ton 4WD gas or diesel pickup truck,” according to a GoFundMe post.
More volunteers are needed to help with meals, errands and special projects, staff said.
Lewis is the fifth generation of his family to farm the land in southern Alamance County. The farm maintains a herd of about 50 cows, including such popular breeds as Holsteins, Guernseys, Jerseys and Brown Swiss, its website says.
This is a developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.
This story was originally published June 6, 2023 at 1:53 PM.
