DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — The Brussels-Union-Gardner fire department is stepping up for one of their own. The efforts their taking to support one firefighter bravely battling cancer.
- Jim Wautier the Assistant Fire Chief at Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department explains the impact Ryan has made
- Matt Philips a Firefighter at Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department describes Ryan's surprise when he learned of their fund raising
- The Ryan Chaudoir Support Squad shirts being sold at the Brussels fire department
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
The Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department is showing support for fire fighter Ryan Chaudoir with shirts.
Ryan is battling cancer.
To help with some of Chaudoir's expenses the department decided to raise money.
The "Ryan Chaudoir Support Squad" shirts sell for $20 and you can get them at the fire department in Brussels.
"We decided, Matt decided that maybe we should design a shirt and Matt worked on that, we got the shirt designed and Ryan was pretty excited when he found out about it" Jim Wautier said.
Matt Philips a Firefighter at the department says that Ryan had no clue the department was fund raising for him.
"We surprised Ryan [on] Friday night with them, he had no clue they were being made. It was a complete surprised to him. Then we pretty much started selling them after that" Philips said.
Jim Wautier is the Assistant Fire Chief at the Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department and says the community support for Ryan has been astonishing.
"He's touched a lot of lives in this area. So I mean the outpouring of people that would like to do something for him is overwhelming."
Philips says that Chaudoir's diagnosis effected the whole department.
"We've been on [the fire department] for 20-years. Ryan and I joined at the same time we went through the beginning classes all together. We've been friends longer than that. It's just, it's like a big family so it hits you no matter if it's your biology brother or sister it's the same. It hits everybody" Philips said.
He says that before the fire department posted on Facebook about them fund raising they had already made plenty of sales.
"We have over 100 shirts sold already. So now our phones are ringing like crazy with orders."
I did reach Ryan to ask for an interview and while he says he appreciate the outreach he's not quite ready to tell his story.
The fire department says they’re also accepting cash and checks that will be donated to the Chaudoir family.
