Scar and all, it’s back to the ranch, where Liberty grad Levi Kettner is ‘always willing to help out’

Stretching across the back of Levi Kettner’s head, there is a scar – and a bald spot. A scar and a bald spot with a story.

At 14 months old, Kettner was run over by a tractor on his family’s ranch. They rushed him to the hospital, and after various surgeries the doctor told them it was unlikely he’d ever walk or talk again. His father prayed that wouldn’t be the case.

When Kettner returned home, he went through months of physical therapy in the hopes of a full recovery. Now a senior at Liberty High School, he’s both walking and talking.

“My accident is what I call it. It is what it is,” Kettner said. “I have gone through, basically, every special class that I need to, to get to where I am.”

After he graduates from Liberty, Kettner will help run his grandparents’ ranch in Hamilton, Montana. There he’ll serve as a calf rancher – a job he’s been practicing since his days in kindergarten. That year, Kettner selected a cow from the family’s herd to raise as his own. In the ensuing 13 years, it’s brought him four heifers and one bull. That cow, Becky, comes with an anecdote, which makes Kettner turn red with embarrassment.

“I just, I don’t know. I really liked my kindergarten teacher at the time — not that I don’t like her still, but her name was Becky,” Kettner said. “So I named my cow Becky. I haven’t named a cow since.”

Ranching is a tradition passed down through the Kettner lineage. When his great-grandfather completed years of service fighting in World War II and the Korean War, he moved to Montana and raised five children, most of whom went on to own animals. From there, ranching was ingrained as a family pastime.

Kettner has long enjoyed helping others – a trait that manifests on the ranch – and would rather spend his time outdoors than playing video games.

“Levi … has always enjoyed helping out with daily chores, (like) feeding cows and horses,” said his mother, RaChelle Kettner. “He is always willing to help out whenever we need something done.”

That selflessness extends to his days at Liberty. In the third or fourth grade – he’s not exactly sure – Levi noticed his school’s custodian putting up tables after lunch. So Levi offered a helping hand. That initial interaction sparked a long-standing relationship between the two, where Levi is now a teacher’s assistant for the custodian, a role he assumed as a freshman.

His duties include cleaning the kitchen, mopping and vacuuming. This year, with Liberty receiving an addition to its school, Levi has been involved with cleaning up the debris left behind by construction.

“I like helping fix things,” Levi said. “I like the problem solving of that.”

In the coming months, Levi will leave behind the familiarity of home, his parents and the Liberty school community. For these new experiences, RaChelle Kettner offers wisdom to her son.

“I would encourage him to continue to be kind to everyone and follow his heart,” she said.