SNYDER, Texas — Moved by the firefighting community’s generosity when his wife battled cancer, one firefighter paid it forward by donating $1,500 to replace gear stolen from a volunteer firefighter last month.
The Eagle reported that Mike Dalby, a firefighter in Lubbock, Texas, was watching the local news and saw volunteer firefighter David Kruse’s gear had been stolen from the back of his truck while he was fighting a grass fire.
“He had his vehicle locked up, slammed the tailgate and hopped on the fire truck,” Snyder Fire Chief Perry Westmoreland said. “And then somebody came along and proceeded to help themselves to whatever they could get their hands on.”
Kruse’s coat, pants, boots, helmet and gloves were stolen from his truck. Chief Westmoreland said he was baffled as why someone would steal bunker gear.
“What value did it have? Who would want it?” he asked. “I mean, if somebody wanted some, we’ve got old stuff down here that we’ll just give you.”
Dalby’s wife, who is an ER nurse, was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of stomach cancer. Dalby said his local fire department and medical community stepped up with donations for his family after the diagnosis.
“I really felt it appropriate that we pay it forward,” Dalby said. “I turned to my wife and said, ‘I’m going to Snyder in the morning and donate to the cause.’ I can never, never, ever repay that generosity everyone showed us. All I could do was pay it forward, that was the only way to honor the people who have given to me and my family, by carrying on that legacy and doing something out of the norm, just helping somebody out.”
Chief Westmoreland said if the gear shows up at the station, no questions would be asked and forgiveness would be given.