In January 2024 local builder JW Heny began exhibiting stroke symptoms. 

He was experiencing leg spasms and trouble speaking.

He was taken to the emergency room by his wife Jessica where a CT scan found a mass on his brain.

After several tests at St. Vincent’s Regional Hospital in Billings they recommended “we meet with oncology and live out what life he had left to the fullest,” Jessica wrote on JW’s CaringBridge web page. 

They sought a second opinion instead.

At the encouragement of a friend they looked into applying for a remote second opinion through the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. On Feb. 19 they received a call back and the center recommended onsite treatment — a Billings oncologist supported the move.

Now, just over a month later, Heny is in New York and has had a “large portion of the tumor removed,” and will begin radiation on April 2, recent posts to CaringBridge said.

“We sure miss our friends and family, three stop lights, views and wide open spaces,” the post ends,”Thank you for the love and support.”

While Heny receives treatment in New York, family and friends of Heny have begun to organize a fundraiser on his behalf. “Building Hope for Heny,” starts at 5 p.m. April 12 at Heart Mountain Hall in the Park County Fairgrounds. Admission is $10.

Funds raised during the event will help the Heny family on numerous fronts including cost of living both in New York and Powell as well as medical bills. 

News of the effort to fundraise for Heny even reached popular Wyoming musician Chancey Williams, who donated a guitar to the auction.

“My sister in-law, Katie Williams, was telling me about what her cousin, JW, is going through and the fundraiser people were working on,” Williams said in an email. “We’ve noticed over the years that donating these guitars to good causes has been pretty effective and I just wanted to support the effort to help JW. On behalf of my brother and sister in-law, and the whole Williams family, we’re sending our prayers to JW, his family, and everyone organizing this terrific event.”

Stacey Atkinson, one of the event organizers and Heny’s cousin, said that enough material for a 30x30 shed, 10-12 guns and many other items including a stay in Belize have been donated at the time of the interview. 

“We just have an amazing community and it just blows me away,” Atkinson said. “That’s the beauty of small towns you know?”

There will be a gun raffle and the remaining guns will go to the live auction.

The fundraiser will include food donated by WYOld West Brewing Company, a live, silent and dessert auction, a gun raffle, a cash bar from K-Bar Saloon, soda and water donated by Pepsi and music from Smoking Aces.

Those who wish to donate items can reach out to the Heny family, and items for the benefit can be dropped off at Eternal Light Creations in downtown Powell.  

Donations can also be made to Sunlight Federal Credit Union under JW and Jessica Heny’s personal account.

To donate or gather more information about the benefit, Atkinson said community members can reach out to:

Scott Heny, 307-272-3743

Melissa Gernhart, 307-254-0053

Stacey Akinson, 307-202-1848