An Arizona grandfather’s death has been blamed on a firefighter dropping him while carrying him out of his home as his family watched his paralysis gradually worsen over the final weeks of last month.
On January 5, Ronald Shack (76) was unable to stand up on his own due to weakness in his legs due to diabetes.
When his wife wasn’t strong enough to pull him to his feet, the couple called the Phoenix Fire Department for help.
Firefighters arrived and placed Shaq in a plastic swivel chair inside the home at Pioneer RV Resort south of Anthem, Arizona.
Mr. Shaq, who was described by his son as having a “great sense of humor, very funny and his laugh was very contagious,” went to the Pacific Ocean several years ago to be closer to his family. They migrated to this area from the northwest coast of the coast.
While caring for the man, first responders checked his vitals and determined Shaq needed to be taken to the hospital.
Firefighters had to figure out how to get the weakened man out of the house and down three flights of stairs in the front, opting to keep him in the chair he was already sitting in.
“What they came up with was just a cheap roller chair with no armrests,” says Shaq’s son. Ryan Shuck told KPNX.
The son said the cheap office chair didn’t even have straps or armrests to secure him to the seat, the paper said.
“I don’t understand why they would do that when he’s 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 260 pounds and he’s not a small guy,” Ryan Shuck said.
The elderly Mr. Shack broke his neck and back when firefighters knocked the chair the man was sitting in down the stairs, Ryan Shack said.
Shaq was reportedly injured in a fall and was complaining of neck pain.
Firefighters performed a spinal motion test after the fall and claimed he could not move his arms and legs, according to a report from the fire department.
He was then taken to the hospital, but his condition worsened as he gradually became paralyzed during his stay.
“He could no longer move, speak, eat or drink,” Ryan Shack said. “And we basically knew this was it, so we flew the family into town and all his grandchildren came to see him.”
“Watching him take his last breath was probably the most painful moment of my life.”
Ronald Shack passed away on January 23rd, leaving his wife with “just lost my best friend.”
Ryan Shack said he tried not to think about his father’s death because it wasn’t real.
“It still feels like a nightmare. I haven’t cried once since he died because I didn’t want it to be real, but obviously it is.”
“It’s still not easy to lose him when you think he’s there,” Ryan Shack added.
Since Shaq’s death, his family has been asking the Phoenix Fire Department for answers, but they haven’t gotten any.
“We’re not getting anything out of them,” Ryan Shack said. “They haven’t said anything and have been trying to avoid it.”
The fire department is investigating the incident, but declined to comment further, the report said.
“Someone should suffer the consequences of what they did,” Ryan Shuck added.
