DE PERE, Wis. (WFRV) – Before there was Cure Lawn Care, there was Owen Obey.
He was the kind of child who filled every room and every backyard with energy. He loved costumes, climbing rocks at the park and spending time with his two younger brothers.
Brown County reaches 60-year deal with C. Reiss to lease part of Puliam Power Plant site
But in December 2024, after battling childhood cancer, Owen died at just 8 years old.
Now, nearly every day, the sound of lawnmowers fills the silence left behind.
Owen’s father, Wyatt Obey, started Cure Lawn Care after losing his son to osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. What began as a way to rebuild after unimaginable loss has turned into a mission to help other families facing childhood cancer.
“I got laid off when Owen was sick,” Obey said. “After he passed away, I wanted to give back to the community that helped us so much.”
A portion of proceeds from Cure Lawn Care is donated to childhood cancer organizations, local fundraisers and families still fighting the disease.
Obey said he hopes the business also helps raise awareness about how underfunded childhood cancer research remains.
“Childhood cancer doesn’t get enough funding,” he said. “Families need more local help.”
Owen was diagnosed in July 2023 after experiencing leg pain while playing soccer. At first, his family thought it may have been related to an old injury from when he broke his leg. But an X-ray later revealed a tumor.
His mother, Chelsi Weber, said doctors initially believed Owen had a strong chance of survival because the cancer had not spread at the time of diagnosis. But near the end of treatment, the cancer returned.
Over the next several months, Owen endured surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation as tumors spread to other parts of his body.
Despite the aggressive treatments, Weber said Owen rarely focused on what cancer had taken from him.
“He never really focused on the things he couldn’t do,” Weber said. “He focused on what still made him happy.”
Even during long hospital stays, Owen found joy in the little things, especially playing video games with his cousins.
Weber said her son’s bravery continues to push their family forward.
“The reason we can keep going is because he was so brave,” she said. “We have to keep trying to make things better for the next kids.”
The family has traveled to Washington, D.C., to advocate for more childhood cancer funding and continues supporting organizations that helped them during Owen’s treatment.
For Owen’s father, the lawn care business has also become part of the healing process.
“I think Owen would be proud of me,” he said.
Every time Obey starts another mower, it is about more than cutting grass.
Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo stops by popular Appleton restaurant
It is another way to help families still in the fight — and make sure his son’s legacy continues to grow.
To book with Cure Lawn Care, visit the business’s website or call 920-639-3007.
