Coast Guard, EMS help find toy helicopters for 5-year-old struck by car in Dorchester
After the hard work of a few individuals the 5-year-old victim of a car accident in Dorchester on Sunday will have a few new model Coast Guard helicopters to play with as he battles to recover from his injuries.
At approximately 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Globe, a young boy, who was not identified by officials, was struck by a mid-sized Chrysler vehicle on Whitten Street in Dorchester.
Staff from the Boston Medical Center after the initial rescue effort, informed Lieutenant Scott Beers of BEMS Dispatch and Lieutenant Gretchen Fox-Frates, that the family told hospital staff that the young boy had always wanted a toy helicopter.
As Lt. Fox-Frates frantically searched the local Walgreens, Lt. Beers called the local Coast Guard to see if they could lend a hand.
Brian Fleming, who was the search and rescue coordinator for the Coast Guard that night, took the call and along with Petty Officer Alex Waide scoured the base for a model helicopter.
“When they first called me looking for a helo [helicopter] I thought they were calling for an actual helo,” said Brian Fleming, who was reached by phone Monday afternoon. “So I got Waide and master key and we searched the entire base.”
Unfortunately the search didn’t turn up much until 3:00 a.m. when Fleming contacted Chief Brain Fisher, officer of the day for the Coast Guard, who contacted Brenda Schepici, manager of the base’s store.
Once Schepici was on base, Fleming and Waide were able to find and purchase three model Coast Guard helicopters, the H60 JayHawk, the H65 Dolphin, and the Hitron helicopter, for the boy.
With the helicopters in hand Fleming excitedly contacted LT. Fox-Frates who delivered them to BMS at 3:50 a.m.
“What was great about the whole thing was watching all these people going out of their way in the middle of the night to find this helicopter for the kid,” said Fleming. “I hope in some way it’s going to help. Maybe when he comes through and has these brand new helicopters he will remember that and in 30-years be flying one of his own.”
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Email Patrick D. Rosso, patrick.d.rosso@gmail.com. Follow him @PDRosso, or friend him on Facebook.
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