Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Akron police investigate teen mob attack on family
Woman, 75, charged with beating fawn to death
Akron woman found dead at Brimfield Township store
Man shot outside his Akron home during robbery attempt
Man shot in back near Akron park
Suspect sought in Portage Path bar robbery
Tragic day puts man on path to be Pinnacle owner
Blogs:
Pets:
Dogs' Bark: Not fair! Study shows pups get jealous
The Heldenfiles:
Who Will Get the Michael Media Treatment Next?
Patrick McManamon:
More on Varejao
Akron Zips:
Opponent outlook: Kent State
Browns Bulletin:
Quick thought on Browns rookies
Tribe Matters:
Wedge challenges relievers
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth test showed marijuana
Kent State Sports:
Men's Basketball Scheduling update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Andy’s Signed According to ESPN
All Da King's Men:
Does Medicare Have Lower Administrative Costs ?
Blog of Mass Destruction:
CIA Did Mislead Congress
Akron Law Café:
Breaking Story: CIA Lied to Congress about Secret Program
Varsity Letters:
East basketball update
See Jane Style:
Oh Baby!
Car Chase:
Where do We Go from Here?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Closings….Not the Good Kind!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Margy inquires-when is a Taste of Hudson?
Sound Check:
LeVert II live performance Saturday night — "Dedication" album due July 13,
HRLite House:
DDI One of Best Places to Work
Akron Gamer:
First 24 'Guitar Hero 5' songs announced
Firefighters, police help fire lieutenant's widow with home repairs
By Jewell Cardwell
Beacon Journal columnist
Published on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008
A continuum of caring.
That's what Tuesday's all-hands-on-deck effort was all about, showing Cindy Crawford — widow of Jerome Crawford, an Akron fire department lieutenant who also served as a part-time firefighter in Tallmadge — how much her husband was loved and respected. Jerome Crawford died Sept. 4, following a four-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
More than 50 local firefighters and police — most of them from Akron but also from Tallmadge and Stow — mounted an all-out blitz on the roof of the Crawfords' Tallmadge home, doing a complete tear-off of the old roof and replacing it with a new one.
A tearful Cindy Crawford said she was overwhelmed with the outpouring of support that began at 8 a.m.
Bill Howe, an Akron fire lieutenant, said the first responders had hoped to do the job before their comrade died. Crawford was a 30-year veteran with the Akron Fire Department who helped orchestrate the Jan. 15, 2005, rescue effort of Akron's Andy Holcomb from an industrial shredder.
Crawford received two Star of Life awards for his heroics, one of them after that 2005 rescue. Thirteen of his fellow firefighters were also recognized.
Described as an all-around good guy, Crawford and his wife also taught Sunday school for 16 years — 2-year-olds at that — at The Chapel, where they were members.
Once the local first responders learned about the condition of the Crawfords' roof, they came together to help.
The cost of all of the materials was paid for by the Blue Coats. The lift to move shingles up the ladder was donated by Henry Bierce Co., and food for the crew by Leonardo's Pizza in Goodyear Heights. ABC Supply
also sold all materials at cost.
''This is what we do to help our families,'' Howe said, adding they will continue to do for Mrs. Crawford whatever needs to be done.
Phil Gauer — also an Akron fire lieutenant and president of Akron Firefighters Local 330 — was front and center this day, organizing the work.
''We planned to do this over three days. But it's going to be done today,'' Howe marveled. ''We have all ranks here.''
''It's so amazing. The love they've shown,'' Mrs. Crawford said of the guys fanned out across her roof, who had earlier installed a new sidewalk for her.
They're also cleaning her windows today. ''They're falling all over themselves looking for things to do,'' she added.
''Aileen wanted so much to be here today,'' Mrs. Crawford said of the couple's daughter, who is a freshman at Kent State University. ''But I told her no. Her being in college was very important to Jerome.''
Cindy Crawford, a cervical cancer survivor, called Aileen ''our miracle child.''
Michael J. Fox — an Akron firefighter and Jerome Crawford's best friend, who delivered his eulogy with Pat Gaffney (assistant Tallmadge fire chief) and Darnell Cheatham (Akron firefighter) — said he was not at all surprised by Tuesday's turnout.
Neither was Mrs. Crawford. ''The guys in Akron worked all of Jerome's shifts for four months so that he didn't have to take one sick day or go on disability,'' she said.
Fox spoke warmly about the huge funeral turnout, nearly 150 in uniform.
And Andy Holcomb spoke at the funeral, calling Crawford, ''my hero.''
Also on hand was Akron firefighter Cliff Musgrave, who's still buoyed by the support he received from fellow firefighters when he ran in the Boston Marathon, accepting pledges to purchase a wheelchair-accessible van for his disabled son, Luke.
''Jerome and I prayed for a different diagnosis. But we also prayed God would use us to show others how to be strong in their faith,'' Mrs. Crawford said. '' That people would see our faith and not our fears. ''
Happy update
Beautiful bouquets to Akron's Danisha Jones, who, despite her tough times, is on a mission to be a productive citizen of the community.
Last year, Danisha — at 11 — underwent spinal surgery.
Her very concerned friend, then 13-year-old Julia Edwards, wrote asking me for a laptop, so her pal could keep in touch with her friends and teachers at Akron's Perkins School of Technology during her long convalescence.
The St. Vincent de Paul Society provided Danisha with a laptop computer.
Karen Edwards, Julia's mother, recently provided this happy update: ''She [Danisha] had to go back in for a second surgery because she grew faster than doctors thought she would. She came through both surgeries with flying colors. She is healthy and strong now.
''She has been volunteering this summer as an aide at the main library downtown in the teen section, as a dog walker. . . . She hopes to get into the Early College Program through Akron Public Schools.''
For Christmas, the Edwardses gave Danisha a journal to document her journey. Her goal? ''To turn this into an essay for entrance to that program or maybe even a short story for other children with medical needs.''
Continued good health to Danisha, who is the daughter of Kevin and Diane Jones.
Cornhole congrats
Kudos to Twinsburg's Experient, which raised more than $700 at a recent cornhole tournament for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The weeklong event had 21 teams competing during lunch hour for top honors.
Book bag gifts
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve — whose intangible gifts to the community's children are immeasurable — purchased 350 book bags filled with supplies for club members so they start school well prepared.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve ''serve at-risk youth through three main locations in inner-city Akron and one in Ravenna, Akron After School partnerships and GirlPower! programs in local elementary schools, and a Saturday Club for Perkins Middle School students in conjunction with the Knight Foundation,'' said John Wade, the clubs' development and marketing coordinator.
Interested in helping the Boys & Girls Clubs help more children? Call 330-773-3375.
Lap for Lupus
Save the date!
The fourth annual Lap 'Round the Lake for Lupus fundraiser is Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Boat House, Silver Lake Boulevard, Silver Lake Village.
The nearly two-mile memorial run/walk is aimed at keeping alive the good deeds of Mary Katherine ''Kassie'' Biglow of Akron, who died in 2004 of complications from lupus. She was 30, married and the mother of an infant son.
Proceeds from the walk go to the Lupus Society.
This year's contributions to the Kassie McMullin Biglow Research Grant will be matched up to $75,000 by the Robert and Jamie Taylor Foundation.
Registration is 8 to 9 a.m., followed by the run/walk.
Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com.
A continuum of caring.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
