57 Minute Miracle pays a visit to the Elkhart Fire Department

ELKHART, Ind. - ABC 57 heads to the Elkhart Fire Department for 57 Minute Miracle number three. The team asks the chief on duty to help find a deserving recipient, and he takes them to find one of his own.

“Josh Miller is a firefighter who was injured in a motorcycle accident. He’s been on light duty for probably six months,” said Elkhart Fire Chief Brian BeMiller.

Chief BeMiller tried texting Josh to see if he was home, but without an answer, he hopped in his truck and led the crew to his house.

At first, Josh was hesitant to let ABC 57 into his home, but the chief convinced him it would be worth his while.

Josh’s attitude changed completely when he discovered the surprise was $570, saying, “It definitely helps, because I can’t do all the things that I usually do right now.”

His busted helmet tells the tale of why he’s been out of commission.

“I wrecked my motorcycle back at the end of June. And nobody else was involved. It was like a freak accident, and I broke a four by four mailbox in half with my shoulder. I got four plates in my scapula and my humorous,” said Josh.

He said for one who’s used to helping others, it’s been tough to have to lean on others.

“Initially, it was very, very hard for me, because being a fireman is something I love, helping people all the time, that’s what I’ve always done. I served in the military also, and that’s just my frame of mind. That’s what I like to do is help people, and it’s hard not to be able to do that, let alone do all the extra things you usually do, and do them normally,” said Miller.

“That’s what’s hardest to receive the help. It’s easy for us to give it, but it’s very hard for us to take it, so I knew this would be just tough on him just receiving it,” said Chief BeMiller.

While it may be tough to be on the receiving end of help, Josh says it’s nice to get a ‘thank you.’

“It’s very humbling. We don’t get thanks a lot. I mean we do our job, and we do it because we enjoy doing it, and we don’t expect people to thank us for some of the things we do, but then when it comes to something like this, it’s like a huge thank you. It is,” said Miller.

Josh is scheduled to see a specialist for his shoulder on November 21.