BHR instructor Mr. Deady and his wife loan RV to Stoughton Firefighter
The recreational vehicle owned by Chris Deady and his wife, Sue, has taken them and their three boys camping to scenic locales all over the Northeast. But their 2018 thirty-four-foot Coachman Travel Trailer has just made its most important journey of all – to the home of a Stoughton firefighter/paramedic who might need it to isolate himself from his family just in case he is exposed to the coronavirus.
Chris, who is the lead teacher in the Graphic Communications program at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton, said that his wife found a humanitarian organization on Facebook called RVs 4 MDs. That group helps owners of RVs like the Deadys connect with first responders – usually medical personnel – who temporarily need a no-cost option for a safe, comfortable place to isolate themselves from their family members if they are infected with COVID-19, have been exposed to it, or are simply concerned about being near their spouses and children during this global health emergency.
“As this pandemic was unfolding,” Chris explained, “most of us felt helpless, myself included. There was little for us to do besides adhere to the guidelines for social distancing and stay at home. It never occurred to me that the camper in my driveway could help someone until my wife got a text from her brother in North Carolina. He saw the RVs 4 MDs on the local news and passed the information along.”
Chris continued, “My wife loved the idea and signed us up through Facebook. We were contacted by a Stoughton firefighter/paramedic who was looking for an RV so that he could be close to his family without putting them at risk. He has a wonderful family and we were very proud to be able to help in some small way. We wanted to support the people on the front lines of this pandemic. We were excited about getting the opportunity to help someone, but once we met this firefighter’s family, it became so much more meaningful.”
Kelli Jardin, the wife of firefighter/paramedic David C. Jardin of the Stoughton Fire Department, was put in contact with the Deadys through RVs 4 MDs. David said that having the RV belonging to the Deadys at his disposal, with no strings attached, constitutes “an emergency back-up plan” that gives him “peace of mind.”
“It's wonderful to see the Deady family providing the perfect gift of peace of mind and physical distance to the Jardin family during this very stressful time,” said Blue Hills Regional Superintendent Jill Rossetti. “By sharing their RV, the Deadys have effectively modeled unconditional generosity, empathy and compassion for all of us which brings a smile of hope to my face.”
David pointed out that he has not had any unprotected exposures to COVID-19 and recently tested negative for antibodies. Even still, as a precaution, he has been distancing himself from his family. He also mentioned that he and his colleagues in the Stoughton Fire Department are taking suitable measures to keep themselves safe and protected, such as using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in all patient interactions within the course of carrying out their duties.
Even so, David knows that if it does become necessary for him to isolate from his wife, Kelli, and their two young daughters, he can now do so mere steps away from his home. He would be in spacious, amenity-laden accommodations. The Deadys’ RV boasts a full kitchen, an outside kitchen, a master bedroom with cable TV, air conditioning and heat, plus a full bath and shower.
David is immensely grateful to Chris and Sue Deady for their generosity. “I can’t thank them enough for giving me the peace of mind that I can be close to my family if I need to isolate myself,” he said. “It was a very humbling experience that someone would go to that level to help me and my family.”