Jake Hanks suffered a major stroke in utero, causing him to live with many physical and mental challenges. However, the 20-year-old Crawford man has always worked hard to overcome his adversity, and instead of focusing on what he can’t do, he focuses on what he can do to help other people, including serving his community as a member of the Crawford Volunteer Fire Department.
JEFF FIELDER Editor
CRAWFORD – Most of the time when an emergency call comes into the Crawford Volunteer Fire Department, Jake Hanks will immediately stop what he’s doing and head to the fire station.
The 20-year-old Hanks runs to the fire department, but it’s not because the fire hall is only about three blocks away from his home. He can’t drive due to his seizure disorder. That’s never stopped him, though, from responding to a fire and rescue call.
“The dedication that boy has for the fire department is huge,” said his mother, Teri Hanks. “Even though the fire station is only about three blocks away, that’s quite a ways for him to run because of his challenges. But he’s very determined to get there. He always says his purpose is to help people, so that’s what he does.”
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