MARYSVILLE — In spite of the day’s foul weather, Boston’s Gourmet Pizza in Lakewood was packed with patrons Oct. 9 who wanted to show their support for Marysville firefighter Ray Hancock.
The active-duty term of Hancock’s 17 years of service as a firefighter came to a close on April 6, when he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease.” With a prognosis of 3-5 years left to live, Hancock has remained stoic and continues to serve the Marysville Fire District on light-duty status in its administration building. In turn, his fellow firefighters organized a fundraiser at Boston’s to help support Hancock, his wife Lisa Marie and their two college-age sons.
“We plastered word all over Facebook,” said Josh Olsen of Marysville Professional Firefighters Local 3219. “We had one lady from Illinois who’d seen Ray’s story online in The Marysville Globe, and she contacted us asking how she could donate. The word’s gotten out through friends of friends and all sorts of random places.”
Olsen cited the contact network that exists between firefighters as a whole as one of the ways in which Hancock’s peers in Marysville let their “brother and sister firefighters” elsewhere know about his plight.
“Ray’s a stud,” Olsen laughed. “He just loves being a firefighter, so having that stripped away was so hard. The fact that he’s still able to be part of the team in some way is huge.”
Marysville Fire captains Jason Schoonover and Eric Swobody described Hancock as so strong that it’s almost been to his detriment during his current struggle.
“It’s hard for Ray to accept help,” Swobody said. “He’s a humble, modest, upbeat guy who’s seldom if ever down.”
“He’s remained resilient throughout this ordeal,” Schoonover said. “He has a positive attitude and refuses to feel sorry for himself.”
According to Schoonover and Swobody, the only problem with Hancock’s aversion to self-pity is that he’s not inclined to ask for assistance, even though he’s grateful to receive it.
“For 17 years, he was on the other end of that spectrum, in terms of how much he helped others,” Swobody said. “It’s in our blood as firefighters. We want to solve problems, not be part of them.”
Swobody noted that people often need more information before they grasp the full scope of what an ALS diagnosis means for Hancock, but added that, “Once we explain that he’s a 49-year-old man who’s not going to recover from this, the response is overwhelming.” He and Schoonover also praised the staff and management of Boston’s for welcoming them into their establishment.
“It’s uncomfortable not knowing exactly when we should serve drinks or take plates,” Swobody laughed, as fellow Marysville firefighters bused and waited on tables. “Again, we don’t want to be a burden.”
Lake Stevens firefighter Kurt Middleton was one of Hancock’s many “brother firefighters” who showed up that day to support him. Middleton had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2007 and received the support of similar firefighter fundraisers in 2008, so he felt like returning the favor.
“Anything and everything we can do to help,” Middleton said. “When the brotherhood of firefighters gets involved, the outpouring is unbelievable.”
“It’s just been amazing,” said Lisa Marie Hancock, as her husband Ray caught up on old times with his colleagues. “There are no words that can express my appreciation. There’s been a huge outreach of love.”
You can donate to Hancock and this family by writing checks to Marysville Professional Firefighters Local 3219 and sending them to P.O. Box 1853, Marysville, WA 98270. For more information, call the Firefighters Lending Assistance in Marysville at 360-659-2777.
