Independence Township firefighters received a thrill on Dec. 16 when 11-year-old Andrew Damon visited the station on Citation Drive.
Members of the department presented Andrew, an Independence Township resident with a Junior Firefighter brass badge and replica helmet bearing his name, while the Independence Township Professional Firefighters Local 2629 gave his family union t-shirts and hats.
Suffering from Dejerine-Sottas Syndrome, Andrew ? who is deaf, nearly blind and restricted to a wheelchair ? was invited with his family to visit the station and receive the gifts.
‘He was very excited. All he talked about at school was going to see the firemen,? said Damon’s sign language interpreter Valoree Provost from Bloomfield Hills Schools.
Andrew, who has shown an interest in firefighting since the age of four, is all too familiar with many of the firefighters. On several occasions they have run him to the hospital for medical aid.
‘We wanted to give back to a special child,? said Engineer Paramedic Mike White, who noted how fond many of the firefighters were of Andrew. ‘We’ve run him for medical emergencies, so we know him well.?
‘It’s very special, he’s so excited. He’s familiar with the EMS Unit. The Independence Township Fire Department is part of the extended family,? said grandmother Dee Ruen.
With assistance from Provost, Andrew expressed gratitude to the firefighters for the gifts.
‘He likes the firefighters because they are strong,? said Provost as Andrew made a flexing motion with his arms. ‘He said they need a Christmas tree though.?
Damon’s interest in firefighting was apparent as he sported his Ladder Truck 2 Halloween costume his father built, complete with functional flashing siren and detailed paint job.
‘We came to the station one day to study and get the paint job just right,? said father Ty. ‘We noticed they had one ladder truck, so we made him Ladder Truck 2.?
Over the years, Ty has made several costumes out of wood to fit Andrew’s wheelchair, including a pirate ship, race car and air craft carrier.
‘He comes up with the ideas,? said Ty.
‘I can tell his happy,? added Ty. ‘He doesn’t let (the syndrome) get in his way.?
Outside of firefighting, Andrew enjoys skiing at Pine Knob and attending car racing events.
‘He’s very interested in loud and fast cars. He enjoys the races because he likes the smell and can feel the vibrations of the cars,? said Ty.
Attending the event with Andrew were his parents Ty and Kristen; sister Samantha, 16; grandmother Dee Ruen; and Provost. Andrew’s older brother Jack, 17, could not attend.