Middletown Firefighter Shawn Menear is on the mend, but not out of the hospital yet, the Middletown Fire Department said Wednesday.
Menear is scheduled to have at least one more operation in the next 24 hours but is making “great progress” while recovering from severe burn injuries on a majority of his lower body.
“The amount of support presented throughout his in-patient stay has helped him immensely,” the department wrote in a post on Facebook.
Menear was injured while responding to a fire in the 500 block of Water Street in Royalton on Jan. 23. The resident of the home, William “Bill” Hardy died in the fire.
The fire broke out around 9:14 p.m., and during the response, the second floor collapsed with firefighters inside. Menear was trapped for nearly 40 minutes, but was rescued and transported to a local hospital for treatment. From there, he was flown to a Philadelphia hospital for additional treatment.
The medical staff and fire company hope that Menear will be able to begin his outpatient recovery in the next week or so.
“Shawn wants everyone to know he’s doing well and can’t begin to thank everyone for their support!” the department said.
On Wednesday, Menear met with Dave Smiley who suffered severe burns in a similar incident in 2019. The pair met and “traded stories of their journey to recover,” the department wrote.
Fundraisers are being held around the region to help Menear and his family during his recovery. His GoFundMe has raised $30,000 of a $50,000 goal.
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