SEYMOUR — The Seymour Fire Department, the Seymour Police Department, and the Seymour Ambulance Association are scheduled to hold boot drives at several locations on Saturday, Dec. 30 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The money raised from the boot drives will benefit the family of a volunteer firefighter who faces growing medical bills connected to their newborn son.
The boot drives will be at the following locations, according to a post on Facebook:
* On Route 67 near the Bank Street bridge and the Route 8 overpass
* On the Broad Street bridge
* At the Tri-Town Plaza
* At the intersection of Derby Avenue and Bungay Road
Please read the post from the fire department:
Hello Friends and Neighbors,
As a general rule, the Seymour Fire Department does not do “boot drives” as a regular fundraiser. Standing in the middle of the road is always dangerous and the process usually slows traffic which upsets drivers trying to reach their destinations.
We do, however, hold boot drives when one of our Brothers or Sisters is in dire need of help.
Unfortunately, that exact situation has befallen one of our own. Mike Russell, a 16-year member of Citizens’ Engine Co No 2 and lifelong Seymour resident, and his wife Jessica were expecting their second child at the end of February 2024.
During a regular check-up, it was discovered that the baby had a cyst/tumor in his right lung, and an immediate plan was put in place to monitor the baby at a specialized hospital in Philadelphia.
During a visit in early December, doctors found that the mass had shifted his heart. While developing a plan for this next obstacle, Jessica went into labor and baby Mikey Russell was delivered at only 27 weeks, 3 lbs 1 oz, some 3 months premature.
Mikey proved to be an immediate miracle, surviving surgery at not even two days old to remove the mass on his lung despite the surgeon’s warning that the baby would almost certainly not live through the procedure. Not only did Mikey survive, he grew stronger little by little each day.
Mikey has a long road ahead of him; so do his parents. Mike is home during the week to continue working and take care of their 2 year old daughter but Jessica is in Philadelphia full time for at least the next two months as Mikey continues to defy the odds and improve every day. Hospital bills are mounting; so is the stress.
This is where you can help.
This Saturday, December 30, from 8am to 12 noon, the Seymour Fire Department, along with our Brothers and Sisters at the Seymour Ambulance Association and Seymour Police Department, will be holding a boot drive to help the Russell Family in their time of need.
We will be located on Route 67 near the Bank Street bridge and the Route 8 overpass, on the Broad Street bridge, at the Tri-Town Plaza, and at the intersection of Derby Avenue and Bungay Road.
Members from all of Seymour’s Emergency Services will be on the road with boots in hand accepting whatever monetary donations you can make. If you are unable to make it in person but would still like to donate, please Venmo @C2treasury and with the note “Russell Family”.
This year the Seymour Fire Department has responded to nearly 600 calls for help. The alarm sounds and we run to the emergency. Now it is our emergency and we are sounding the alarm for help — won’t you please respond for us? We would be forever grateful; so will the Russells.
