Video: Aberdeen Comes Together for Injured Firefighter

ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) — A man who’s made a living helping others now needs help himself.

Derrick Paine has been a firefighter in Aberdeen for 8 years.

Last month, he was injured in a motorcycle accident and will now need long-term care.

Derrick Paine hasn’t been on a fire truck in over a month. Friday, his “extended family” joined his wife and son to raise money for mounting medical bills.

“He is you know, improving a little more each day. Doing a little more each day. Moving his arms, moving his legs but he still has a long way to go, ” says his wife, Tamika Paine.

It’s been a tough journey for Paine and his family, but support like this helps.

“Angry, why me, upset you know? but the love from the city of Aberdeen, his friends, his family. Everybody has helped us tremendously,” says Paine.

Support from city workers, Aberdeen Police, Monroe County Sheriff’s Department , and of course, the fire department, proves how loved Paine is.

” Good guy, hard worker, he’s a family man, just a great guy to be around. He’s always helping people,” says firefighter Foster Fields.

That support is part of a bond they say only firefighters understand.

“With the line of work we do, you know you become more than just coworkers, you’re brothers. We go through a lot of dangerous situations and together, you come together and you have a bond pretty much. And it’s a bond you really can’t break,” says Fields.

His wife says fundraisers and a supportive community like this prove that everything will be okay.

” God’s going to handle everything and it’s in his will. So I have no doubt that derrick will be back with us soon,” says Paine.
If you would like to help the Paine family, they will be out Saturday as well, serving up catfish plates, holding a car wash at the Autozone, and taking donations throughout the day.