This One Time in Kankakee

When the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department receives a dispatch about someone attempting to steal a Blackhawk helicopter, who do they turn to for help?

On this episode of This One Time in Kankakee on the WVLI Podcast Network, host Jake LaMore sits down with Eric Peterson—6-time combat veteran, founder and CEO of Project Headspace and Timing, and Superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kankakee County.

Eric shares the surreal story behind the "Blackhawk call" and explains how years of building trust with local law enforcement, Riverside Hospital, and first responders made him the first person deputies thought to call. Beyond the headline-grabbing incident, Eric opens up about the raw, unfiltered realities of veteran crisis mental health work. He reflects on two deeply moving encounters from his years in peer support: guiding a Vietnam War combat veteran through decades of buried guilt, and navigating a high-stakes crisis response along Route 102 with an Iraq War veteran.

It’s an episode about trust, trauma, community resilience, and what it truly means to sit with someone in their darkest moments.

👉 Subscribe & Listen: Stream now on the WVLI Podcast Network or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about veteran peer support at Project Headspace and Timing.

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Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.com

The Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.

In 2019, actor Rider Strong—best known for playing Shawn Hunter on the 1990s sitcom Boy Meets World—and his brother Shiloh made an unannounced trip to Kankakee, Illinois. In this episode of This One Time in Kankakee, host Jake LaMore sits down with former library staff member Hannah Swale to recount the day two Hollywood filmmakers showed up in the third-floor Genealogy Room searching for local history, street maps, and Midwestern character for a potential film script.

Featuring additional historical background from Veronica Featherston of the Kankakee County Museum, the episode details their visits to local research archives, their stop at Papi's Pizza Cafe (now Alvarado's Taqueria on Station Street), and the reaction across the community when word got out that Shawn Hunter was in town.

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Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.com

The Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.

 Did flying saucers really buzz over Kankakee in the 1950s? On this episode of This One Time in Kankakee, host Jake LaMore explores local UFO lore based on research by the late Kankakee County Museum historian Jack Klasey. From switchboard-jamming cosmic ray balloons in 1952 to unexplained lights hovering over the Illinois Central Railroad tracks—and a legendary 1967 river crash prank—discover how mid-century "saucer mania" hit home in Kankakee, Illinois. 

Here is the link to Jack's original blog post on the Kankakee County Museum website: https://www.kankakeecountymuseum.com/post/look-up-in-the-sky-it-s-a-bird-it-s-a-plane

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Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.com

The Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.

On March 10th, 2026, an EF-3 tornado tore through the Oakwoods neighborhood along the Kankakee River, altering lives in a matter of two minutes. In this episode of This One Time in Kankakee, host Jake LaMore sits down with long-time local resident and business owner Emily LaVoie to hear her harrowing story of survival, loss, and recovery.

After previously rebuilding her riverfront home from microburst damage, Emily found herself facing complete destruction when the March 10th storm ripped away her roof, walls, and belongings—and claimed the life of her cherished neighbor, Maurice. Emily shares what it was like huddled in her basement as the vortex hit, the surreal sight of open sky where her ceiling used to be, and the complex, ongoing "numbers war" with insurance, appraisers, and FEMA flood plain regulations four months later.

While the storm has passed, the recovery effort in Kankakee County is far from over. Many families are still in the early stages of rebuilding their homes and lives.

How You Can Help: Donations are urgently needed to assist local residents with long-term recovery. Please consider donating to the United Way of Kankakee and Iroquois Counties Emergency Response Fund at myunitedway.org.

This One Time in Kankakee is a production of the WVLI Podcast Network.

Send us Fan Mail

Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.com

The Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.

On July 20th, 2026, we said goodbye to Franklin Weber—my grandfather, a local Manteno native, and the voice behind the pilot episode of This One Time in Kankakee.

To honor his 93-year legacy, we returned to the original raw audio from our 2025 recording session to tell a fuller, deeper version of the story that launched this podcast. In July 1936, a three-year-old Franklin was run over by a 2,500-pound 1916 Fordson tractor on his family's farm in Manteno, Illinois.

In this special tribute edition, we uncover the unreleased details behind that miraculous summer morning: how packed Midwestern dirt cushioned the blow of iron wheels, why his easygoing father Phil moved faster than cast iron to lift a multi-ton machine, and the lifelong physical sacrifice Phil made to save his son. It’s a story of Midwestern grit, historical mechanics, and the quiet, enduring love of a father that gave our family seven more decades together.

Subscribe to This One Time in Kankakee on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Have a story from the Kankakee River Valley? Email us at [email protected].

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Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.com

The Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.

What starts as a distraction in a summer math class quickly turns into a fourteen-year story full of bizarre coincidences, quiet tracking, and high-value holiday gifts.

In this episode of This One Time in Kankakee, host Jake LaMore welcomes guest Will Rasmussen (host of Breakroom Sessions) to recount an unbelievable, completely true experience spanning multiple jobs, industrial freezers, emergency elevator stops, and an unexpected PlayStation 4 payout.

Will breaks down every step of the saga:

• The Summer Recess: Daily driveway honking after summer classes.
• The Workplace Coincidences: Reconnecting at two separate jobs years apart.
• The High-Stakes Advances: Bizarre moments in office suites, elevators, tinted-window cars, and commercial freezers.
• The PS4 Payoff: Opening a car trunk to find three brand-new PlayStation 4s—and what he actually did with the gift.
• Uncovering the Truth: How database access and police plate checks revealed how she always knew where he was.
• The Redirection: How Will finally resolved the situation for good.

Tune in for a fascinating, funny, and factual look into one of Kankakee County's most memorable personal stories!

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Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.com

The Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.

In November 1961, Kankakee County witnessed an unprecedented legal showdown when sitting Sheriff Carl McNutt was arrested inside the courthouse. Facing 13 grand jury indictments—ranging from official misconduct to a vice conspiracy—McNutt's refusal to resign triggered a historic constitutional standoff that forced the Illinois State Police to step in and supersede local authority.

In this episode of This One Time in Kankakee, host Jake LaMore delivers a measured, journalistic look at the trial, the legal technicalities that divided the community, and the ultimate resolution of the case. Based entirely on the archival research of the late local historian Jack Klasey and the Kankakee County Museum, we explore a gripping, rare chapter of Illinois legal history. Tune into the WVLI Podcast Network to hear the full story of the fall of Sheriff McNutt.

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Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.com

The Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.

What happens when a routine farm chore becomes a sudden battle for survival? In this episode of This One Time in Kankakee, we sit down with local farmer and volunteer firefighter Willy VanWassenhove to hear his extraordinary story of resilience. On September 20, 2024, while adjusting a load of hay on the side of the road, Willy was struck by a vehicle at highway speed, pinning him and crushing his legs. 

Drawing on his first-responder training, Willy stayed calm, called 911, and survived a horrific accident that ultimately cost him his right leg. Today, he shares the incredible details of his 100-hour surgical battle, the miraculous timing of his rescue, and how the Kankakee community rallied behind him with the "Willy Strong" movement. 

Now back to work full-time and back in the tractor using a retrofitted mechanical lift, Willy is turning his pain into purpose by launching a foundation to support other injured farmers. He joins us to deliver a vital message that every driver needs to hear: Slow down, pay attention to Slow Moving Vehicle (SMV) signs, and protect our farmers. Because saving ten seconds is never worth a lifetime of regret. 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The Critical Moment: The sudden roadside impact and how first-responder instincts saved Willy's life. 
• A Community Miraculously Prepared: How a local firefighter's funeral inadvertently placed rescue teams exactly where they needed to be. 
• The Long Road Back: Navigating 15+ surgeries, severe agricultural infections, and an unforgettable community homecoming parade. 
• Farming Without Limits: How neighbors retrofitted a John Deere 4440 tractor with a mechanical lift so Willy could keep baling hay. 
• The Willy Strong Foundation: Willy’s mission to provide "no questions asked" financial support to injured agricultural workers. 

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Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.com

The Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.

In this narrative episode of This One Time in Kankakee, we travel out to Hopkins Park, Illinois, to meet military veteran Jake Lee. On Mother’s Day weekend in 1991, a mischievous afternoon inside the family van took a near-fatal turn when the transmission accidentally engaged. What followed is a sequence of events so mathematically improbable it defies belief—involving a torrential downpour, a perfectly placed trench of rain-washed sand, and an emergency surgery that uncovered an entirely different, hidden killer.

From evading packs of dogs on childhood bike rides to strutting like Cab Calloway down hospital hallways, Jake shares a profoundly moving, laugh-out-loud funny story about trauma, community, and the chaotic alignment of miracles.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• The Hopkins Park Sandbox: What it was like growing up as the youngest of five in rural Illinois during the early '90s.
• The Physics of a Miracle: How a torrential rainstorm two days prior created the exact conditions needed to save Jake’s life.
• The Hidden Enemy: The shocking discovery Cook County surgeons made after repairing his torn liver that would have otherwise gone undetected.
• A Legacy of Gratitude: How a childhood accident completely reshaped Jake’s perspective on community, faith, and life.

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Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.com

The Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.

"This one time in Kankakee... bodybuilding brought me back to life."

In this gripping bonus episode of This One Time in Kankakee, Kaelin Patterson shares the most harrowing chapter of his life. On August 28, 2008, at the intersection of Theodore and Larkin in Joliet, Kaelin was struck and run over by a drunk driver. For five minutes, his heart stopped. He was clinically dead.

What followed was a "resurrection" that defied every medical prognosis. From waking up as a "John Doe" with no memory of his own name to being told he would never be "normal" again, Kaelin recounts the grueling two-year journey of relearning how to walk and breathe. He details the pivotal role of physical therapist JoJo Sayson and the moment he realized that "normal" wasn't enough—he wanted to be a champion.

This episode is a masterclass in resilience, forgiveness, and the "you versus you" mindset. We conclude with a special, heartfelt dedication to the memory of Missi Prosser, a beloved member of the Fit Body U family who recently passed away, as Kaelin reflects on her legacy of transformation and love.

This bonus episode is solely sponsored by the 2026 Juneteenth Jamboree. Celebrate strength and freedom on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Lisieux Pastoral Center in Kankakee. Join us for The Natural Physique Showcase, a premier, drug-tested fitness event.

• Spectator Admission: $10
• Athletes: $50 initial registration / $20 additional category
• Location: 381 St. Joseph Ave, Kankakee, IL
• Inquiries: [email protected]

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors: Revolt Boxing Club, Noodles and Company, Stacked Nutrition, Po Boys, Maxwell & Brady Schumer, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Netherton’s Bodyshop, and Jensen’s Funeral Home.

Send us Fan Mail

Want more from the WVLI Podcast Network? Listen to the WVLI News Update with Rob West every weekday morning! Get the days local news from the greater Kankakee County, IL area in 10 minutes or less. 

Subscribe now on your preferred podcast platform: https://wvlinewsupdate.buzzsprout.com

The Voices You Trust, Beyond The Dial.