- Ronald Shuck, 76, died after firefighters dropped him down three stairs from his front porch while trying to lift him in a rolling office chair
- Ronald, who was diabetic and had weak legs, had trouble standing and called emergency teams to help on January 5
- After he was dropped, Ronald grew paralyzed until his last breath on January 23.
An Arizona grandfather died at the age of 76 after a tragic incident where firefighters dropped him down a flight of stairs while trying to lift him in a rolling office chair.
Ronald Shuck passed away on January 23, just two weeks after the tragedy that left him progressively more paralyzed until his heart ultimately stopped.
According to Ronald’s son, Ryan Shuck, his father, while not in the best health, could have lived for many more years if not for the incident last month.
Ronald, a former employee of U.S. Bank, battled diabetes and had weak legs. On January 5, he had trouble standing, and his wife wasn’t strong enough to help him up.
When firefighters with the Phoenix Fire Department responded to the call, they placed Ronald in a budget rolling chair without arms and attempted to lift him down the short three stairs from his front porch.
Ronald Shuck died at the age of 76 after a tragic incident where firefighters dropped him down a flight of stairs while trying to lift him in a rolling office chair
He passed away on January 23, just two weeks after the tragedy that left him progressively more paralyzed until his heart ultimately stopped
When firefighters with the Phoenix Fire Department responded to the call, they placed Ronald in a budget rolling chair without arms and attempted to lift him down the short three stairs from his front porch
‘It’s still not easy to lose him when you think he’s going to be here,’ Ryan said to 12News as his eyes filled with tears.
‘He was just one of those guys that have the best sense of humor. He’s super funny, his laugh was extremely contagious.’ Ryan added.
Upon arriving at Ronald’s mobile home in the Pioneer RV Resort south of Anthem on January 5, firefighters conducted a brief check on Ronald.
They helped him onto a plastic office chair and planned to take Ronald to a nearby hospital.
However, instead of securing him in a gurney or stair chair, the emergency team opted to lift Ronald down the stairs using the rolling chair without arms.
Ryan expressed confusion, stating, ‘He’s not a small person, so I don’t understand why they would choose to do that.’
Ronald fell to the ground, his head striking the concrete backward, as firefighters were lifting him while his wife watched.
Ronald complained of neck pain, but he passed a spinal movement test and could move his arms and legs, according to a fire department report that Ryan obtained from Ronald’s hospital record.
The grandfather was transported to a hospital, where he gradually became more paralyzed until his last breath on January 23.
‘And then he could no longer move or talk, or eat or drink. ‘Watching him take his last breath was probably the hardest moment of my life,’ Ryan said.
He added: ‘Still feels like a nightmare. I haven’t cried since he passed because I just didn’t want to think that it’s real…but it obviously is.’
Upon arriving at Ronald’s mobile home in the Pioneer RV Resort south of Anthem on January 5, firefighters conducted a brief check on Ronald
The grandfather was transported to a hospital, where he gradually became more paralyzed until his last breath on January 23
Ronald and his second wife, Michele D’Armond, shared a wanderlust spirit, leading them to purchase a 34-foot motorhome and embark on years of travel across the country
Born in Salem, Oregon, Ronald was the youngest among his siblings and found joy in fishing and playing baseball.
He dedicated three decades of his life to working at U.S. Bank in Portland until his retirement, after which he ventured into the real estate industry.
He married Susan Heller, and together they had four children: Jason, Lori Elizabeth, Keri, and Ryan. Two of his children pursued careers in real estate, following in their father’s footsteps.
Ronald and his second wife, Michele D’Armond, shared a wanderlust spirit, leading them to purchase a 34-foot motorhome and embark on years of travel across the country.
They eventually settled in Sedona, Arizona, and ten years, moved to the Phoenix area, where they remained until Ron’s passing.
He is survived by his best friend and wife Michele, son Jason, daughter Keri, son Ryan, brother Gary, and grandchildren Austin, Dillin, Sydney, Lucas, and Luke.
Ryan mentioned that the family is considering legal action, and the next step might be consulting with a lawyer.
‘Someone should suffer the consequences for what they did,’ Ryan said.
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