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Son From Rockland Starts GoFundMe To Bring Late Father's 'Baby' Home

Sometimes there's one thing that is important enough in life to ask for a little help from friends, and strangers, to make it happen.

'Baby' the firetruck.

'Baby' the firetruck.

Photo Credit: GoFundMe

That's the case with Dave Mumford of Garnerville and a firetruck that was very special to his father before his death while at the scene of a fire on May 9, 1998, at the age of 48.

A member of the S.W. Johnson Fire Company in Garnerville, Dave's father, Daniel W. Mumford, devoted years to the fire department as a firefighter, corresponding secretary, assistant chief chauffer and chief chauffer over the years. 

During that time he had one firetruck, "Baby," that he fell in love with and spent hours polishing it to a high shine, his son said on a GoFundMe page.

"Many of my childhood memories of my father were in that firehouse climbing all over the 23-quad.," he said. "While I had to be careful of fingerprints cause Dad would yell at me I always had a blast on it."

Years later, Dave Mumford would take his son to the firehouse to see Baby and he loved it as much as his grandfather had.

Recently, Dave Mumford learned that the Village of Haverstraw had put the truck up for auction and his attempts to win the truck in the auction were lost to a higher bidder.

Since then he has learned the new owner plans to scrap it for parts and Dave Mumford has started a GoFundMe page to try and raise enough money to buy the fire truck and have it restored and then find a new home at a Fireman's Museum. 

The problem is the person who now owns the truck is asking double what he paid for it at auction and Dave Mumford again can't afford to purchase the truck on his own.

"I am asking friends, family, fellow firefighters, and anyone who would be kind of enough to donate to this cause to please help me bring this truck back home in memory of my father," he said. 

He needs $10,000 to purchase the vehicle and restore it. To date, $425 has been donated. 

To help Dave Mumford bring Baby home, click here. 

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