THE COST OF BEING A HERO

DAY 131

Today is August 22, 2015, it is day 131 in the journey I started for raising funds and awareness but also and mainly for me to pay honor and tribute to my brother's who have passed on before us.  Since I started this, I now come close to thinking of  Ganley. Anderson, Stephenson ... of Priester, Spenser and many more almost daily and it is good.  In a small way I think of them as they were now and not with the sadness of death, even though they are not here in person, they are with me daily.  In 30 years and being on busy units for most of those years, I have seen and been through a lot.  I hate thinking about how my brother's never got to spend much time in retirement, and some never made it to retirement.  Too spend all those years saving others, helping others daily and dealing with the worst moments of some peoples lives takes a lot out of you.  We all look forward to the retirement years to finally breathe fresh air and not hear that damn alarm go off in the middle of the night!  But to then have it cut short because of a illness just fricking eats me up.  This we Ret. Lt Steve Kidd advised us all the my long time Squad 1 Lt. Charlie Walsh was not doing good....that the cancer clinic he was attending has sent him home.  Charlie and I were together in the beginning years of Squad 1...I was in my 3rd year as a FF and was chosen to be a part of what is now a pretty damn big deal, all I can say is we busted our asses to get this Unit going and too keep it going.  Back then it seemed there were only two opinions of the squad..You either were for it or you hated it.  As a new FF i had a hard time understanding this thought process because I thought we were a FAMILY, BROTHERHOOD that we had each others backs...but as in life some people only looked on from the outside.  Charlie loved this unit and did everything in his power to make this unit a success.  Charlie pushed us all to do and be at our best always and we trained night and day, and at the time I didn't like it too much but looking back it, ... it was the best thing to happen to me.  I learned so much and did so much more than the normal 3 year FF did. I was on so many crazy calls for a lot of years that I grew up fast in the Firehood!  But now it sicken's me to think of Charlie in this way, to hear that he is sick...very sick..he has not been retired that long.... I know this...he would not change a thing and would still do this career all over again.  He loved being at Sta. 50...being Lt of Squad 1 of being at battle daily not only on calls but also in the HQ....The deal is, is that if it wasn't for Lt Charlie Walsh and Lt's Kidd and Kasper I do not think that the Squad would be the success it was and is today.  And I am proud to be a part of that history,  I am proud to be a Firefighter for Lt C Walsh.  I am asking everyone who reads this to please keep Charlie and Gayle and his family in your prayers over these next days.  Thank you all for what you do....Rest well my friend Charlie and know you have given me so much over the years and I am thankful to have served under you Sir.  Dear Lord with all that I am I ask that You comfort Charlie and strengthen him and his family and that you hold Gayle in your Loving Arms. Amen.  Through Your Son Jesus I ask.