Firefighter Pays Struggling Family’s $1,023 Electric Bill – Ryan McCuen Brings Back Power To Michigan Family With Disabled Children

Ryan McCuen, a firefighter in Detroit, paid a struggling family’s $1,023 electric bill. Though he wanted his benevolent act to remain confidential, the news leaked, and he is now being hailed as a hero.

A suburban Detroit firefighter, Ryan McCuen chose to settle the rather large electric bill of a family after he learned of their daily struggles. The family has two disabled children, one of whom needs to be constantly hooked to a ventilator. Though McCuen wanted his actions to remain confidential, his superiors insisted that the world know about them for inspiration. The firefighter, along with the rest of his team members, had responded to a non-emergency medical call when he realized the family’s plight and decided to remedy the situation from his own personal money, reported Daily Journal.

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When Ryan McCuen, a member of the Clinton Township Fire Department, responded to a medical call a few weeks ago, he and his teammates came across a family that direly needed all the help they could get. The family, with two disabled children, was struggling to make ends meet. While many of the bills remained past due and unpaid, the foremost requirement was for electricity, as non-payment of the electric bill had rendered the house without power. Already living on installments, the family had fallen way behind on their payments, resulting in the power being cut off by the utility company.

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Responding to the non-emergency medical help, the firefighters soon realized the family’s condition. Incidentally, power companies aren’t allowed to cut off power to homes that house disabled children that need medical attention. In fact, the family had all the paperwork, but since it wasn’t filed correctly, the utility company disconnected the electricity, leaving the family literally in the dark.

Power companies need paperwork from a doctor stating their need and mentioning the special exemption, which allows any family caring for children who need medical attention to continue paying the electric bills way beyond the due date. Though the family had the paperwork from a doctor to prevent the power from being shut off, it had not been filled out properly. Hence DTE Energy disconnected their electricity, reported The Macomb Daily of Mount Clemens.

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Rising to the ocassion and acting on compassion, Ryan McCuen paid the entire $1,023 bill, explaining the situation to the DTE customer service representative. Having explained the situation to the relevant authorities, McCuen secured the assurance that the family’s electricity will be reconnected on a priority basis.

McCuen tried his best to keep the move anonymous, but the move impressed his boss, and his name got out, reported Detroit Free Press. Speaking about the selfless act, Fire Chief Michael Phy said,

“This type of concern for the greater well-being of this family is where the heart of this employee lies. His act, although anonymous, should not go overlooked or ignored.”

What’s truly impressive is the fact that Ryan McCuen and seven of his fellow firefighters were laid off a few years back owing to the Great Recession, reported Peoria Journal Star. He was called back to the force last year because the township received a federal grant. Asked why he helped, McCuen said:

“I don’t know why I did it, but I do know those kids needed some help. I was glad to do it. This might sound corny, but we are here to help. There’s a lot of people who do good work: Firemen, cops, teachers, and they don’t get any recognition, so I wasn’t seeking any, I’m just trying to give back. I could have bought something for myself, but it wouldn’t feel as good. I didn’t think of it as an extraordinary act — but I hope it inspires other people to do something similar.”

During the months after he was laid off, Ryan McCuen had started a lawn service that was doing well, but when duty to his fellow man beckoned, he responded in a heartbeat.

[Photo by Carlo Allegri/Getty Images]