Community honors Delaware firefighter, police officer with blood donations in his name
Community honors Delaware firefighter, police officer with blood donations in his name
Dozens of friends and family, and even strangers, turned out for volunteer firefighter and police officer Chris Skrobot - a man who has served the community for years with honor, but now faces a battle of his own.
NEW CASTLE COUNTY, Del. - A Delaware community is rallying behind a local law enforcement officer who has done so much for so many over the years, but now needs some help himself.
Dozens of friends and family, and even strangers, turned out for volunteer firefighter and police officer Chris Skrobot - a man who has served the community for years with honor, but now faces a battle of his own.
"It means so much just to see him giving his time with the firehouse and the police department and now that they’re coming back to support him during all of this it’s huge to us," said Chris' wife, Caitlyn.
The 32-year-old New Castle County police officer, volunteer firefighter, loving husband and father is fighting a rare blood disease called myelodysplastic Syndrome.
"It’s hard on the kids, it’s hard on Caitlyn, on his parents, on all of us," said Chris' mother-in-law, Patti Dodd. "We just love him so much, and we just want to see him get healthy again."
Chris has had multiple blood transfusions since April, and now needs a bone marrow transplant.
Although these donations don’t go directly to him, this drive is a way to say thank you for all the blood he’s been given and to help others in his honor.
"When one is down, we all step up so we are one big family and one big team," said Claymont firefighter, Donna McGuire.
Chris remains in the hospital, but his family sent him pictures from Sunday’s event, and he thanked everyone involved.
This outpouring of love and support keeps the family going, and those donations of blood will help so many people they will never even meet.
"Next year we’re going to do an annual blood drive and hopefully Chris will be here and he able to thank everybody himself for it," Patti said.
Chris gets his bone marrow transplant on Monday and his family says he’ll be in the hospital for a few weeks.
They hope people will continue to donate blood in his honor through the Delmarva blood bank or anywhere of their choice.