Augusta Fire Fighter Raises $25,000 for Charleston Nine

October 19, 2007 – Augusta-Richmond County, GA Local 3357 fire fighter Laddie Williams has returned home after cycling across the country to raise more than $25,000 for the families of the nine Charleston, South Carolina, fire fighters who perished in the June 18 Sofa Super Store fire.

With the help of fellow Local 3357 fire fighter Scott Rousseau, Williams left Palm Springs, California, on September 11, 2007, and arrived in Charleston on October 13. Along the way, Williams and Rousseau stayed at IAFF firehouses and held various fundraisers.

“It was very gratifying to be able to hand over a big check to South Carolina Professional Fire Fighters Association (SCPFFA) President Mike Parrotta and Charleston Local 61 President Roger Yow,” says Williams. “With all of the support we got along the ride, Charleston fire fighters can be reassured that that they haven’t been forgotten.”

Augusta, Georgia Mayor Deke Copenhaver honored Williams with a city proclamation and declared October 11, 2007, “Laddie Williams Day” for his unselfish acts to help the families of the fallen Charleston fire fighters.

Williams’s trip wasn’t without challenges. He was bitten by a snake in Oklahoma and was hit by a car in Gainesville, Georgia.

Despite the challenges of the 3,500+ mile trek across the United States, Williams says he would do it again in the future. But right now, he’s glad to be home with his wife, Heather, as they await the birth of their first child next year.