Support Mike's Recovery from Rare Cancer

It’s time to give back to Mike and Kelly!! My friend Mike, who most of you know and love, is a 11 year extremely valued member of the Winsted Fire Department. Although he’s been around it, and grew up in it his entire life. In his 11 years, he has played a very large role in getting the department where it is today. Mike is one of the best company officers you’ll ever work with. He works tirelessly to train the younger generation of upcoming firefighters, to be able to safely and confidently execute life-saving maneuvers when time counts. Mike is everything the fire service should be. Along with Winsted, he is a 6 year valued member of the Riverton Fire company, where he does all the same. Mike has dedicated his life to the fire service. And putting his community, neighboring communities, friends and family first. Life suddenly changed, when Mike was diagnosed with an extremely rare, aggressive tissue cancer in his knee. Threatening to take one of the most important things away from him, being a Firefighter. This particular cancer is very rare. Which also means very little information, and no known causes. With that said, with very few options, he chose the one most likely to get him back to normal life, and his passion. He’s undergone surgery to remove the cancer, and surgery to reconstruct the knee. And ready to start radiation. Unfortunately, that’s not the end of the story. After some healing complications, he now has several more surgeries lined up on that knee. Pushing the recovery time back even further. Anyone that knows Mike knows he’s an amazing human, one most of us strive to be. Mike has been able to stay in good spirits, with the loving support of Kelly, his family and friends. As Mike and Kelly’s life continue to move forward, although slowly in the healing process, bills and expenses continue to come at life’s pace. With Mike out of work, and Kelly working as much as she can, while still being the emotional support Mike greatly needs, I worry making ends meet, with the incoming medical expenses, might become tougher, as Mike continues to be out of work in recovery for several more months. Mike has been there for, and touched so many lives in his firefighting career, and his personal life. I believe it’s his turn. Not once has Mike ever done anything for somebody, and asked or even expected anything in return. It wasn’t easy convincing him to let me do this. Mike is a great man, and doesn’t expect anything from anybody. I am asking for him. Any amount helps. We are just trying to cover basic life expenses in his time of recovery. Let’s, together, take some financial burden off them to help get Mike back, to what he loves most, giving back!