10 months ago
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FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - The enactment "Life After The Badge" acceptable up a fundraiser successful October to assistance bring immoderate alleviation to a retired Austin Herion, a Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy struggling to wage his aesculapian bills.
That fundraiser acold exceeded expectations.
Former Fresno County Sheriff's Deputy George Ozburn is the laminitis of Life After The Badge. He said his narration with Herion continued agelong aft helium retired from the sheriff's office.
"We had dinner, [and] we besides had this tiny radical happening unneurotic was similar a traveling group," Ozburn said. "The dude was a phenomenal deputy. He's a large man, fantastic father, husband. I emotion the feline to death."
Ozburn knew helium wanted to assistance erstwhile helium archetypal recovered retired Herion was diagnosed.
“He mightiness not person 3 months. He needs the wealth present truthful helium tin commencement those treatments, and helium needs to get successful determination today," helium said.
Herion is battling a benignant of encephalon crab called Glioblastoma. A illness that has already affected his family.
"Unfortunately, my father-in-law ended up passing distant of glioblastoma," Herion explained. "So, it benignant of deed location for my woman erstwhile they came successful and was my diagnosis. And I told her I was like, ‘You've mislaid your begetter to this. You’re not going to suffer your hubby to this.'"
Because helium chose an alternate crab attraction plan, Herion’s security lone paid for a fraction of the cost.
"Wife talked to maine like, what are we going to do," helium explained. "We had 3 kids, 3 teenagers close now. And it's similar I had to instrumentality astir and rise them. So, you know, losing is not an option."
In response, Ozburn utilized resources wrong his enactment Life After The Badge to help.
The radical offers enactment to archetypal responders.
"The truly important happening is to recognize that this is not a sheriff's section thing. It's not adjacent a bull thing. Our logo says it all. It has household successful the mediate truthful that our important others tin find assistance erstwhile they request it," helium said.
Ozburn acceptable up a fundraiser successful Fresno to assistance rise $15,000 for Herion, but the effect from assemblage members was much than helium could person imagined.
In 1 night, much than 200 radical showed up and raised $42,000.
“It was immense to spot the turnout the mode it was. And however galore radical conscionable came retired and supported," said Herion.
In addition, Herion’s travel with Life After the Badge isn’t over.
Ozburn said, “Austin is present coming connected committee with being a committee subordinate for Life After the Badge. Again, that selfless servant enactment that him and I some possess, we privation to springiness backmost to the community.”
Herion wants his communicative to nonstop a message.
"Hopefully it helps George to assistance others," helium said. "It is overwhelming and you're going to request an service to get done this. You can't bash it by yourself."
Ozburn said Life After the Badge is present successful the process of mounting up different fundraiser for the Herion family.
