Update to Fundraiser held for local, highly-decorated firefighter suffering incurable eye disease
12:05 AM EDT on Sunday, May 18, 2008
We have a follow up to a firefighter’s battle. Kentuckiana rallied around the 37-year-old who is losing his sight. And we’ve discovered an amazing connection with another firefighter who saw our first story.
Darrell Girdley is legally blind. His condition, Stargardt’s disease is rapidly progressing years earlier than in most cases. He’s a highly-decorated firefighter, with 3 life-saving awards and Firefighter of the Year, four years in a row, just to name a few.
Tonight his fellow brothers held a fundraiser to help until disability, his only option now, kicks in. But for Darrell, he found not only support from his community, but from a new friend and a generous doctor as well.
It’s a one-in-a-million chance, at least Darrell Girdley and Darrell Miller think so. Both men have the same ocular condition - Stargardt’s disease.
After Whas11 told the story of Darrell Girdly, the response was overwhelming. First, a viewer with the same career, rare disease, even the same name called.
Then, we got the call from the doctor at the John Kenyon Eye Institute. All tonight meeting, for the first time and as Darrell Girdley waited for Darrell Milller to arrive, he got the other surprise.
A specialist from the John Kenyon American Eye Institute came to tell Darrell, who is now without income or insurance, they wanted to help.
Payment not necessary, he said, because Darrell has saved enough lives in his career.
Then yet another surprise, one of those whose life he’d saved was standing just a few feet away.
And then finally, the long-awaited and emotional meeting of the two Darrell(s); a support system for both, and a friendship for life
Stargardts disease is genetic, normally it doesn’t affect those that have it until after the age of sixty.
While Darrell Miller’s condition is much less severe than his new friend, the two say they now have support they didn’t ever think was even possible.
Web story published by Chris Wright