Firefighters Start Fund for MA Deputy Chief with Stage 4 Cancer

March 26, 2020
"We're all close-knit, and we always have each other's back. We just want to help," said the head of Framingham's fire union about raising money for Deputy Chief Brad Smith, who is in hospice care.

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FRAMINGHAM, MADeputy Fire Chief Brad Smith makes his colleagues want to come to work.

Smith, a 32-year veteran of the Framingham Fire Department, is battling stage 4 stomach and bone cancer and is in hospice care. The firefighters with whom he works are trying to help Smith and his family, starting a GoFundMe page to help defray the costs of his medical care.

"He is one of the most cerebral guys on the job," said firefighter Tyler Easson, head of the Framingham Local 1652 Health and Welfare Committee. "He also has a great sense of humor. He's one of those people with such a big personality, he makes coming to work fun. You could always tell he truly cares about the people he works with. We just want to show him how much we care about him as well."

Smith, a father of two, was promoted to deputy chief in December. In January, doctors diagnosed him with cancer.

"It was very shocking," said Easson. "When we first heard about it, there was talk he would have another few years, but now he's in hospice. It turned into a more dire situation."

  • TO DONATE: Go to the GoFundMe Page for Framingham Deputy Fire Chief Brad Smith

The firefighters got together and wanted to do something. Initially, they wanted to hold some sort of event to raise money for Smith and his family, but because of the coronavirus outbreak, holding large events is not possible.

Last weekend, they started the GoFundMe page, hoping to raise approximately $25,000. They were closing in on their goal on Tuesday afternoon, topping $23,000.

Easson said the goal is that once things return to normal, to hold a fundraiser and maybe start a scholarship for Smith's family.

"Insurance doesn't cover everything," said Easson. "The last thing we want the family to do is to have to worry about expenses. Anything we can do to help his family, we want to do it."

Easson said Smith's cancer is considered occupational, due to his work as a firefighter for more than three decades. Smith likes to spend time on Cape Cod with his family and was recently engaged to his girlfriend, Carmella.

"It's a big department, but it's a like high school, we all know each other," said Easson. "We're all close-knit, and we always have each other's back. We just want to help."

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©2020 MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, Mass.

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