Tony Hales was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
John Deere helped a cancer patient fulfill one of his dreams by inviting him to the UK headquarters in Langar, Nottingham to drive some of its tractors.
Tony Hales, 78, was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer. And despite working in the ceramics industry for nearly 50 years, he’s always wanted to get behind the wheel of a Deere.
“I’ve driven most things in my time but never a tractor of any description, and it has always been my dream to drive a John Deere,” Hales said. “Nothing else would do, although there were very few if any around in my youth – they were all Fordson Majors and Little Grey Fergies.”
Tony Hales, left, on the 1966 John Deere 4020 with Mark James
Photo: John Deere UK
As a boy, Hales said he spent a lot of time riding with neighbours cattle marts and abattoirs, but he went into the ceramics industry after his father told him farm labouring wouldn’t pay well.
Tony’s daughter, Elizabeth Ackerley, wrote to Mark James, a Deere UK product marketing manager and explained her father’s health situation.
During his visit, Tony drove two tractors – a 6175R, and the branch’s crown jewel, a fully resoried, 1966 John Deere 4020.
Despite being new to tractor operations, Hales said he noticed differences between the two machines.
“For comfort I preferred the modern tractor, obviously, but I should need six months to learn how to use all the electronics! It was also very noticeable how hard it was to change gears in the older model.”