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Boy Writes Thank You Note to Firefighters After his Injury

by Sharon Aron Baron September 24, 2015

by Sharon Aron Baron September 24, 2015 16 views

Ethan Joly pictured here with the stitches he received after his injury

By: Sharon Aron Baron

Saying that four year-old Ethan Joly has an obsession with firefighters is an understatement. Since the age of two, after receiving a tour of the Coral Springs Fire Department from firefighter and family friend Zachary Roseboom, he’s convinced that’s what he wants to be when he grows up.

First day of preschool

This obsession still carried over in August when at the age of four he had his first day of homeschool preschool and he proudly stood next to a sign saying that he wanted to be a firefighter.

It was just just a couple weeks later on September 10, when Ethan would have a real-life encounter of his own, leaning over too far at the lego table he was sitting at in the living room of their Wyndham Lakes home.

“It was a total freak accident,” said stay-at-home mom Lindsay. “He hit his face just the right way to tear the skin on his forehead and he came up with a face full of blood.”

Ethan’s father Aaron, an accountant with Citrix was still at work. Not knowing what else to do in that moment, she called 911. Within minutes, the Coral Springs Fire Department paramedics were there to check his injury and to bring Ethan to the hospital.

Ethan in the ambulance

Ethan, who had been screaming, suddenly stopped when he saw the fire truck pull up. “Did the firefighters come just to see me?” He asked.

“It went from a nightmare to a pretty cool day for Ethan,” said Lindsay. “Somehow the ambulance ride and spending time with the firefighters made up for all of the stitches he had to get in his forehead.

The next day she said that that Ethan was so grateful, that he drew a picture and a note of thanks for the firefighters and she mailed to the fire department. Little did Ethan expect that he would receive an answer back from Fire Chief Frank Babinec.

Dear Ethan

I was very happy to to receive your wonderful thank you note today and the beautiful picture that you drew. Thank you so much for taking the time to tell me what a good job our paramedics did in taking care of you when you hit your head. I am very glad that your stitches weren’t too bad, and I hope you are healing well after your injury.

I will be sure to share your picture and note with Lt. Jerome, Captain Steve, and Paramedics Eric, Oscar and Dave, who wee very glad to have helped you when you needed them, and I am very proud of them for taking good care of you.

Sincerely,

Frank Babinec
Fire Chief

Lindsay said that he was excited to receive the letter in the mail and said he will be holding on to it and cherishing it forever as it was such a special surprise.

“We love Coral Springs and this just solidified how great our city is,” said Lindsay. “We are so grateful to the fire department for coming to Ethan’s rescue and turning a pretty awful experience into something – in Ethan’s words ‘So awesome.’”

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Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.