STOCKTON, Calif. — A Stockton firefighter is staring down a long road to recovery after the fire truck he was riding in was hit by a car while responding to a fire.
The crash happened near the intersection of Pershing Avenue and West March Lane around 2 a.m. Monday, Aug. 9. Officials say a car hit the fire truck, which caused the truck to hit a building. Fireman Dan La Rock was ejected, leaving him with a fractured femur, fractured vertebrae, fractured ribs, and a ruptured spleen.
"Daniel La Rock has a lot of friends on the Stockton Fire Department. He strives to be a Stockton firefighter," said Mario Gardea with the Stockton Fire Department.
In less than a week, family, friends and strangers have raised more than $40,000 for La Rock and his family.
La Rock is currently recovering from his injuries at a local hospital with his wife and daughter by his side.
"His work ethic is what is going to get him back to the job soon. He has a lot of hurdles, emergency surgery, but he's doing good," Gardea said.
The Stockton Fire Department is one of the busiest departments in the nation, according to Gardea.
"We want Daniel back, and it's going to be good when he gets out of the hospital and we can start sending our firefighters over there to give him a hand," he said.
To help the La Rock family, click here.
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