GRESHAM, Ore. — The Gresham firefighting community came together on Saturday to help raise money for a member of their team, Spencer Tejedas, with a t-shirt fundraiser.
Back on May 30, Tejedas responded to a house fire where his life changed forever. He and two other firefighters ran into the home after getting reports of children trapped inside. Tejedas suffered burns to nearly half of his body and has since been at the hospital recovering in critical condition.
"We're doing alright," said Tejedas' good friend and Gresham firefighter, Jonah Sigler. "I'd say it's still a struggle every day realizing what has happened, but we have come together to support him and support his family and just be there for each other."
Sigler says he and Tejedas met during their firefighting academy and have been the best of friends since. Since his accident, Sigler and others on their team have been looking for ways to financially help Tejedas, his wife and two young kids.
"I love him. He's truly like a brother to me," said Sigler. "Spence is still in critical condition. He is getting better, but he is still in the ICU. He's off of the ECMO [life support] treatment now, but he still has quite a bit to go."
Family, friends and coworkers sold special t-shirts for $30 each outside Migration Brewing in Northeast Gresham from noon to 4 p.m. Workers told KGW they sold at least 100 of the 600 shirts in the first hour of being open.
Those who purchased shirts said that while they didn't personally know Tejedas they, as first responders, wanted to show support for his family and the Gresham Fire agency.
"We're all brothers and sisters, and I want to support him the best I can," said Travis Elton, a detective with The Dalles Police Department. "And if I want to buy a t-shirt or a couple — my wife’s like, 'Yeah, we need to!'"
According to the family's GoFundMe account that has surpassed $250,000 in donations, Tejedas woke up from his medically induced coma after 6 weeks and shared a few words with his wife. And while he's doing better, he still has three to four more surgeries to go and at least a few more months in the hospital.
The city of Gresham and Gresham Fire will be hosting a blood drive donation event on Aug. 2 at Gresham City Hall from 9 am to 3 pm. Sigler says this is because Tejedas has received over 70 units of blood since arriving at the hospital. You can also register here.