Community support for Groton firefighter badly hurt in fireworks accident

GROTON, Mass. — Groton firefighter Wally Shaw is a firefighter’s firefighter.

“He’s one of those down to earth people that just really does anything for anybody,” said Groton Fire Chief Steele McCurdy.

At the Groton Fire Department, Wally’s things are ready for the next call, but Wally himself won’t be back to work for a long time.

On July 3, Wally was setting up a fireworks display for the town of North Andover when something went terribly wrong.

“It was really scary, really scary. When I got that call, my knees literally went out from under me,” said Lisa Shaw, Wally’s mother.

Tony Shaw, Wally’s father, told me a fireworks shell prematurely exploded Sunday, severely burning Wally’s arms.

“He took a shell to the mid-point of his arms. So, from his elbow up to his armpit is all burned away,” Tony Shaw said.

Back at the Groton Fire Department, Chief McCurdy said, almost as soon as news spread about Wally’s injury, one of his lieutenants quickly jumped to action, setting up a GoFundMe account to help pay for Wally’s medical and regular bills.

In just days, the GoFundMe is halfway to its goal of $40,000.

“I think it says a lot about the people. They know Wally, they know the hard worker. They certainly know his family and everybody wants to help him, because they know he would drop everything he’s doing to help them in a moment’s notice,” said Chief McCurdy.

The thing about Wally Shaw, is that he never stops.

In addition to his full-time firefighter job, he also works for Atlas Pyrotechnics helping with fireworks displays.

And he helps his mom and dad at the family tractor sales business in the town of Ayer.

Now that Wally himself needs help, it appears there is no shortage of it coming back to him.

“I had his phone the first two days, and it was like all these messages, people reaching out directly to him, to both of us. Its just really amazing. We’re just so thankful for our community,” said Lisa Shaw.

The State Fire Marshal’s office has ruled this incident an accident.

If you would like to help, go to: Fundraiser by James Crocker : Help the Helper (gofundme.com)

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