Patient Honors Firefighter at Ceremony

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January 29, 2010

Diya presents flowers to Firefighter Maria Pelchar just before Pelchar is presented with the Massachusetts Firefighter of the Year award.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray and Undersecretary of Public Safety and Security Kurt Schwartz honored Massachusetts' firefighters for heroic acts of bravery during the 20th Annual Firefighter of the Year awards ceremony in December. The event, normally held in Boston, was moved to Worcester in recognition of the 10th anniversary of the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire that killed six Worcester firefighters.

One of the awards was presented to Firefighter Maria Pelchar, Safety and Fire Educator with the Holyoke Fire Department, for her excellence in community service. For the past twelve years, Maria has visited the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Springfield during Burn Prevention Week in February.

Last year’s visit to the hospital was especially memorable as four-year-old Diya arrived in her stroller for her prosthetic appointment and was warmly greeted by Sparky the Fire Dog from the Holyoke Fire Department. A short time later, while Diya was being fitted for her first prostheses, she suddenly caught sight of Sparky in the outpatient department and without thinking, rushed out of the exam room to give Sparky a big hug. It was at that moment, Diya walked for the very first time.

This was such a memorable moment for the firefighters that they invited Diya and her family to attend the awards ceremony. Diya’s story was shared with the crowd at the Hanover Theatre as she proudly walked across the stage to present Maria a bouquet of flowers just before Maria received the Firefighter of the Year award.

Photo at right: Diya with her dad Timothy and Firefighter Maria Pelchar

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