After over three decades of service to the Northern Door community, you are being asked to help support the family of Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Chief Chris Hecht. The department shared the news of Hecht’s health challenges on Sunday, sharing a link to a GoFundMe page to support the Hecht family’s unexpected health and travel expenses. According to the GoFundMe page, Hecht was in Indianapolis for the Fire Department Instructor’s Conference when he suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm. In the days since, Hecht has had two more surgeries to improve blood flow to the brain and remains heavily sedated and on a ventilator in critical condition. Since the GoFundMe was launched, more than $54,000 has been raised. Public service has been a hallmark of Hecht’s since he began serving the Northern Door community as an EMT in the late 1980s. Soon after, he joined the Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Department and became its Chief in 2001. He has also served his country in recent years as a Fire Apparatus Subject Matter Expert for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. During the pandemic, Hecht helped create the Door County Fire Chiefs Association, assisting residents with everyday tasks before switching to fire safety and health education efforts. After winning the Sister Bay Volunteers of the Year award along with wife, he was quick to point out that he never did it alone when it came to supporting the community he loves.

Fire departments across the county expressed their support to Hecht and his family, citing his commitment to the community. You can donate to the cause by clicking on this link or visiting your Nicolet National Bank branch.