Fundraiser for Chicago firefighter Andrew Price collects more than $25,000
CHICAGO - A fundraiser for Andrew "Drew" Price, the Chicago firefighter killed this week while battling a fire in Lincoln Park, surpassed its goal of $25,000 Thursday evening — the same day it was launched.
Price, 39, was on the roof of a four-story burning building in the 2400 block of North Lincoln Avenue, where officials responded to the extra-alarm fire shortly before 6 a.m.
He was opening holes for ventilation and helping warn students who lived in the building to get out when he fell through the shaft of a skylight, landing on the basement floor, according to fire officials. Price later died at a hospital.
"The aftermath of this incident has taken a toll on the well-being of our firefighters and has also cast a shadow of financial uncertainty for my sister, Lara Price," wrote Vanessa Mohr, the GoFundMe organizer and Andrew Price’s sister-in-law.
The fundraiser reached $25,200 as of Thursday night.
Mohr described her brother-in-law as a "devoted husband, son, brother, uncle and friend."
"Drew embodied living a ‘just chill’ life, always encouraging others to appreciate the little things. He taught us to love harder, act kinder and search for joy in every moment," she wrote.
Mohr said donations would not only support Drew’s family, but would contribute to an investigation and safety initiatives aimed at ensuring "such incidents are thoroughly examined to prevent them from happening again in the future."
Price joined the department in 2009 and for the last decade was assigned to Engine 55 and Truck 44 in Lincoln Park.
"He was a lovely man," his battalion chief, Michael McCormack, said. "He was as sweet as can be. He took extremely good care of himself and his family. He was extremely healthy. He was a light of sunshine."
Chicago Fire Department Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said she knew Price from working out with him.
"We all knew Drew," Nance-Holt said at a news conference Monday. "Drew worked out. Drew was a health nut. He was "loved by so many. He will be missed by all."
Funeral services for Price have been scheduled for Monday in the Navy Pier Grand Ballroom, according to fire officials.
A private visitation will begin at 9 a.m., with a public visitation from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., followed by a Chicago Fire Department walk-through.
The public service will begin at noon and will be televised.
Price is the fourth Chicago Fire Department member to die in the line of duty this year.