AURORA, Colo. — Paul Cary, a retired Aurora firefighter and paramedic, volunteered last April to fight COVID-19 in a New York City hot spot.
Within a month of arriving in New York, Cary succumbed to the virus himself. A large procession of emergency vehicles paid tribute when Cary's body was returned to Colorado and quietly laid to rest.
In October, his friends and co-workers launched a GoFundMe campaign to replace the temporary marker on his grave, and they reached out to Denver7 Gives.
Thousands more came into the GoFundMe, and Denver7 Gives viewers donated $650. Three E.R. doctors volunteered to make up the difference.
On Tuesday, friends met to order the marker fit for a hero.
"Paul was a great person. He sacrificed his entire life from beginning to end for EMS and fire in this community, so he deserves to be paid tribute appropriately," said Alexander James, a co-worker with Ambulanz. "He was a front line hero."
Denver7 features the stories of people who need help and now you can help them with a cash donation through Denver7 Gives. One hundred percent of contributions to the fund will be used to help people in our local community.
