Lou Gehrig’s Sufferer Receives Amazing Gift From IAFF Brothers

March 18, 2009 – Wichita Falls, TX Local 432 fire fighter Kelly Crush’s lifelong dream of visiting Rome has come true thanks to his fellow fire fighters. Crush has Lou Gehrig’s disease, which has no cure.

“We don’t have a large fire department, so when someone needs help, word travels fast,” says Corky Scarbrough, a Local 432 member. “When we found out that Crush had always wanted to go to Italy, one of our fellow members, Bruce Deeb, put the travel arrangements together very quickly.”

Several members of Local 432 opened their wallets and were able to pay for travel, hotel, tours and spending money. Crush did not have to use a single penny of his own money.

Crush said he was completely surprised by his local’s generosity. “They called me and told me to pack my bags and that I was going to Italy. It was overwhelming,” he says.

During his trip, Crush’s favorite tours included the Coliseum, the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. “I have always been interested in history and architecture, so all of these sites was amazing to see,” Crush reports.

Crush, now 48, joined the Wichita Falls Fire Department in 1988, quickly becoming a well-respected fire fighter and an avid supporter of MDA. Two years ago, he noticed his right foot would fall asleep and his ankle would give out. He initially thought he had injured his Achilles tendon, but in September 2008, his doctor told him he had Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“Ever since I met him, Crush has always been an avid runner and conscious eater – the picture of health,” says Scarbrough. “It just goes to show you that it can happen to anyone.”

Crush is currently living in Dallas because the city is closer to his doctors, but he still goes to visit his fellow Local 432 members as often as he can. “I definitely miss the camaraderie,” he says.