Auctioneer's Personal Auction

You might remember Joel Westra from when he delivered the Midday Ag Markets here at KELOLAND TV.  This weekend, he'll take part in an auction to benefit his daughter who's been struggling to survive since having surgery this summer.

Liz Yerdon went to an Eric Church concert just a week before having aortic bypass surgery.

"Liz loves country music," friend Katie Westra said.

"Liz really likes to dance. She's good at it. I'm not," friend Rebecca Spaans said.

But the fun-loving, 31-year-old mother of two's life changed dramatically after the concert.

"That's just a really special thing for me that I got to do something fun with her right before it happened," Katie said.

Liz's father, Joel Westra, says when she was 12-years-old, doctors diagnosed Liz with Takayasu's Arteritis which caused her arteries to narrow. Because of that, she's had to undergo several surgeries including one in July.

"Six hours after the surgery we got a call that something was wrong," Joel said.

Liz's body reacted negatively to blood pressure medication. That led to intestinal, liver and kidney failure.

"That first week, there were several times we didn't know if she would make it," Joel said.

Since then, Liz has had eight surgeries.  She's still at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, but recently got out of the intensive care unit.

"It's in God's hands. He knows her needs," Joel said.

Joel says his faith and his daughter's strength are helping him get through this difficult time.

"Any situation she's ever been in she's enjoyed it and never complained," Joel said.

Now that Liz is out of the ICU she also recently started walking again, but Joel she still has rough days.

If you would like to help out the family, there will be a benefit supper and auction Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at The Bridges in Beresford.  If you can't make it to the benefit, there's also a bank account set up in Liz Yerdon's name at any Wells Fargo.

For more information on the benefit, click on the links below.

Liz Yerdon's Caring Bridge page

Liz (Westra) Yerdon Benefit Facebook page

Vande Vegte Zomer Realty & Auction website