WAUWATOSA, Wis. — Firefighters epitomize perseverance.
Through the worst conditions, they perform time and time again to protect and save lives, walking directly in the face of danger.
To take away the ability to walk does not eliminate their ability to battle in difficult conditions. Adam Yaresh is showing just that. Less than three weeks after being seriously injured in a crash in Jefferson County, he’s entering the next phase of his recovery. He largely doesn’t have feeling below his chest but it’s what’s inside his chest that matters and Thursday night, it got a big boost.
Dozens of Brookfield firefighters met Adam as he was transported to a rehabilitation facility. It was a surprise to Yaresh, orchestrated by his benevolent and doting wife. When the ambulance came to a stop, a familiar face cracked the doors.
“How you doing, Adam?”
It’s his Assistant Chief Brian Gerner. Gerner has seen Adam since he’s been in the hospital, but this time it’s different. This gathering of people got together at a moment’s notice but they organized quickly. Roughly two dozen or more Brookfield firefighters were there to give Adam the boost he needs to keep moving forward.
“How you doing, brother?”
“You got this, man!”
“We’re praying for you, pal.”
It’s a variety of expressions. Encouragement to keep it up, or just statements to let Adam know, his people are thinking of him. Each word powering Yaresh up for the battle ahead. The showing of support brought Yaresh to tears in the back of the ambulance, an unfamiliar place for a man who is used to getting others into ambulances.
“You guys are taking my breath away here,” Yaresh said. “You’re making such a big deal out of this.”
“It is a big deal brother,” one firefighter said. “We’re with you every day.”
“It’s unbelievable to me,” Yaresh told TMJ4. “I really can’t put it into words honestly. I was not expecting any of this. I didn’t expect to see anybody here.”
It’s not surprising for this humble firefighter to not expect support like this, but ever since this accident, he’s been inundated with love from those closest to him and complete strangers.
“It gives him hope that even on the down days, it just makes the up days even better,” Andrea Yaresh, Adam’s wife said. “He’s got all these people behind him. Friends at the fire department, all his family at home, friends, people we don’t even know that just love us right now. It definitely gives us that hope.”
Hope is something Andrea is cultivating and harvesting on a regular basis. For this married couple, she’s experienced the best part of the vows she pledged to Adam; the better, the richer, the health. It’s the opposite of those vows she’s handling with grace right now.
And she’s not doing it alone.
“I’m so happy he’s this loved by everybody in the community,” Andrea Yaresh said. “It’s just amazing to see. It definitely brings tears to his eyes, to all of our eyes. We’re so grateful for everybody.”
"We're on a long road here," Adam said. "Trying to make it as short as possible. I love everybody here. Thank you guys so much for coming out."
Adam was selected for a drug trial that could help with his spinal cord recovery. Andrea posted Wednesday, he received his second dose and he will continue to do so for the next seven months.
While we’ll never be able to see the work going on inside his body, if it’s half as supportive as the work on the outside, he should be well off.
If you’re interested in helping the Yaresh family, you can donate here.
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