Sick teen who aspires to be a firefighter is getting fire department T-shirts from around the country

Timothy Richardson is a 16-year-old high school junior who has recently been diagnosed with leukemia. Richardson is also an aspiring firefighter, and is training in his chosen profession through Hy-View Fire Company’s Explorer Program. He will be receiving chemotherapy at Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, NY for the next month, and he has a very special request to help him through his treatment. The teen wants to wear a different fire company’s T-shirt every day. And firefighters are helping to make sure his wish is fulfilled.

“It’s a battle and I’m going to have to go through it,” Richardson told WGRZ. “I’ve got a lot of support of the brotherhood from the fire department and my family is all pitching in to help. So it really helps. It really does.”

Firefighting is in Richardson’s blood, as his father, Matthew Richardson, is a longtime firefighter at U-Crest Fire Company in Cheektowaga, and his sister, Michelle, is also a former Explorer.

Richardson’s battle with leukemia is being documented on a Facebook page. On March 10, Richardson’s family shared a complete list of all of the fire departments that had donated shirts thus far, writing that they still expected a lot more in the coming days. And this is after having already received 105 T-shirts!

But the packages just kept coming. Here’s are photos of all the packages received on March 12:

Here’s a smiling Richards with some of the shirts he’s received so far:

In addition to donating shirts, some local firefighters also dropped by to visit Richardson in the hospital:

If you know a fire department that would like to donate a T-shirt (size XL), badge or other item to Richardson, donations can be sent to the following address:

Timmy Richardson

U-Crest Fire Department

255 Clover Place

Cheektowaga, NY 14225

We’re wishing this brave young man all the best during his treatment and recovery!