An Act of Love at Love’s
Family of Freman Bends holds Trucker’s Feed to celebrate his life
Freman was born in a blizzard on February 14 1978, his sister Daphne Bends said, while looking out at the blowing snow last week outside of the Love’s truck stop in Hardin.
On November 3rd, 2016, Freman Bends went missing. Five days later, his body was found near the frontage road in Benteen.
Bends was the victim of intimate partner violence at the hands of his girlfriend, who is serving a 10-year sentence in federal prison for the crime
Bends was a proud long-haul trucker, and had expressed interest in doing a feed for his fellow truckers before, his wish inspired his family to hold a feed on his birthday to honor his memory, Daphne Bends said.
The event was also used as a teaching moment for people, about the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Persons movement and the effect of intimate partner violence. Along with the meal information about Intimate Partner Violence and Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.
Truckers who passed by appreciated the food, with some even offering to donate money.
“We’re more than happy to do this, to be able to help these guys out,”said Byron Bends, Freman’s father. “They deliver our goods across the nation. The warm thank you we receive from tired truckers is all the gratification we need.”
Other members of the family who were present echoed similar sentiments.