Thirty firefighters built a handicapped ramp for Walter Smith, father of a Hamilton firefighter.
HAMILTON -- Walter Smith recently lost part of his right leg and left foot to diabetes and needs to use a wheelchair to get around.
And his home off Quakerbridge Road in Mercerville needed a ramp.
Smith's son, Dan Smith, is a township firefighter, so he reached out to his firefighter firefighters and about 30 showed up this past Sunday with lumber and tools and knocked it out in one day.
"Just a shining example of brotherhood," Dave Krueger, an officer with the township firefighters union said. "Best wishes to Mr. Smith."
Krueger said the firefighters work all day through some serious rain storms, and were determined to make it a one-day project.
Walter Smith is a veteran of the Vietnam war and served as a fire police officer with the Hamilton Fire Co., firefighters said.
The construction was coordinated by Kevin Klosinski, a volunteer firefighter who owns KJK Construction.
Klosinski grew up with Dan Smith and said he was happy to pitch in his company's tools and resources.
The best part, Klosinski said, was when they were done, Walter Smith asked him what he owed.
"I told him nothing. Just to enjoy the ramp," Klosinski said.
Hamilton firefighters work on a ramp for Walter Smith, father of a fellow firefighter. Courtesy photo. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.