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GoFundMe campaign for Red Deer FireMedic facing long road to recovery

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From GoFundMe campaign for “Big Ben” 

On October 1, Ben a 42 year old firemedic from Red Deer was faced with an unexpected event.  In a split moment, Big Ben (aka friendly giant as some of you may know him) needed the help of specialized surgeons. Due to the swift response of the firemedic dept, he was taken out of city to have emergency surgery. The surgery was successful, however he did sustain a stroke post op. Ben has a long road of recovery ahead with the potential for lifelong changes.

Currently Benny is out of cardiac intensive care and remains in hospital. His family, children (3), grandchildren (2), colleagues and close friends have been supporting him from near and far. He is recovering well but all of this will take time.

Ben has a large network of people who extend far and wide from childhood friends, clientele from the good ol’ ‘Mort’s’ days, his involvement with charities and schools that have been close to his heart, his team on the fire departments, fashion show peeps (yes he actually has graced the runway for many many charitable causes) and the list goes on.

If you have met Ben, you will have had that intimate knowing that he is ‘that guy’ who IS “hard to forget” not only because of his sheer size (6’5) but because he has that genuine and calming nurturing ability to touch our lives in so many ways.

Since his hospitalization, many people have reached out asking “how can I help?”, “what can I do?”.  Well this page will be one of the ways you can help Big Benny.

We do not know the amount of his future expenses. At this moment, we are cherishing his daily progress and flowing one day at a time. With saying that however, we know that unexpected costs will arise.
Ben has a strong work ethic. He worked extra shifts, working at a second job to support himself, the lives and future of his children. Because of this change in life circumstance, he will not be able to leverage on these extra sources of income.

We are hoping to have a fund set aside to alleviate his burden.  Should down the road if the funds aren’t required and as Ben would have it, he can choose to donate the extra money to a charity dear to his heart.

Again, here is a link to the GoFundMe campaign.

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Support local healthcare while winning amazing prizes!

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When you purchase tickets for Red Deer Hospital Lottery and Mega Bucks 50, you do more than just play—you become part of something bigger. You help bridge the gap between what government funding provides and what your hospital truly needs to deliver exceptional care.


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SPARC Caring Adult Nominations now open!

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Check out this powerful video, “Be a Mr. Jensen,” shared by Andy Jacks. It highlights the impact of seeing youth as solutions, not problems. Mr. Jensen’s patience and focus on strengths gave this child hope and success.

👉 Be a Mr. Jensen: https://buff.ly/8Z9dOxf

Do you know a Mr. Jensen? Nominate a caring adult in your child’s life who embodies the spirit of Mr. Jensen. Whether it’s a coach, teacher, mentor, or someone special, share how they contribute to youth development. 👉 Nominate Here: https://buff.ly/tJsuJej

Nominate someone who makes a positive impact in the lives of children and youth. Every child has a gift – let’s celebrate the caring adults who help them shine! SPARC Red Deer will recognize the first 50 nominees. 💖🎉 #CaringAdults #BeAMrJensen #SeePotentialNotProblems #SPARCRedDeer

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