Brooklyn Park Firefighters to Hold Benefit

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. - Brooklyn Park firefighters Deb Larson and Mike Maurer are trained to save lives. They never expected to fight so hard, to save themselves.

Maurer said, “I’ve always been on the other side, trying to help people wherever I can.” Larson and Maurer are both being treated for cancer, in almost the same location under their left arms.

Larson battled breast cancer two years ago. Doctors found a second tumor in January, not long after Maurer’s diagnosis.

Larson said, “We worked together last Halloween… delivering candy to kids. Who would’ve thought two months later, we’d both be going through this same thing?” The firefighters told Fox 9, they are relying on each other for support. Maurer said, “I think both of us, we talk to each other if not every day, every other day. Asking questions, just finding out how the other one is doing with our chemo.”

The firefighters aren’t able to work during their treatment, but they know they’re not forgotten. Fellow firefighters have collected dozens of items for a silent auction and benefit on Saturday. The money raised will help Larson and Maurer pay costly medical bills. Brooklyn Park Fire Chief

Ken Prillaman said, “To sit there and watch them suffer financially or emotionally when we could do something to help, made no sense at all.” Maurer is a husband and father of three. Larson is a single mother of two.

Maurer and Larson say firefighting is a team effort, and no one plans to leave them behind in their fight against cancer.

Maurer said, “We give it our all when we’re on the scene of a house fire. We attack that and I think we probably both go about fighting cancer in the same way.”

Brooklyn Park Firefighters Benefit
Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction

Saturday, July 31, 2010
American Legion
260 Fourth Avenue SE
Osseo, MN

5:30-8:00 Dinner
8:30 Silent Auction Closes
9:00 Prize Drawings