Community rallies, presents nearly $70,000 to family with sick East Bay child

BRENTWOODWhen 4-year-old Luca Smith and his parents heard the sounds of sirens, they peeked outside to see what was going on.

To their surprise, David, a Brentwood police officer, his wife Cassie and son saw fellow officers and volunteers from the Wall of Heroes approaching their house. What they didn’t know was David’s co-workers and others, who had been by their side since their son was first diagnosed with leukemia in June, were back to support them again.

Before them stood Jessie LaChance-Mellan, CEO of Wall of Heroes, and Brentwood Officer Chris Bollinger, who had first contacted the nonprofit about his colleague’s sick son. LaChance-Mellan almost immediately jumped in and created a Fund the First fundraiser for the family, and the results were astonishing.

Bollinger, executive officer of Brentwood PAL and a school resource officer, made the referral, knowing that his friend and colleague would never ask for help himself.

“He is very well-liked,” he said of beat cop David Smith.

Family, friends and local residents who didn’t even know the family donated money to help, the fund later growing to more than $70,000.

“It obviously blew up, and it did what it was supposed to do,” LaChance-Mellan said during that late July surprise event in Brentwood.

“We are incredibly honored to present this support check to such an amazing family,” she added. “I would ask the community to follow Wall of Heroes on social media, as we have some upcoming events, to continue supporting Luca family.”

The nonprofit CEO presented the family with a check for $68,270 that day, but the group is still hoping to hit its goal of $75,000.

“We’ll get there. We’re not far off,” LaChance-Mellan said.

Based in Brentwood, the Wall of Heroes program supports first responders or their family members as well as those in the military and veterans who have medical crises, can no longer work or are deployed distantly, as is the case with some wildland fires, hurricanes and more.

The group partners with the Fund the First crowdfunding platform to offer a secure online method to donate. And with the Wall of Heroes, 100% of what is donated goes back to the family.

Though the family has health insurance, it won’t cover the gas, the meals or co-pays, of which the cost is uncertain at this time, LaChance-Mella said earlier, noting the family also has two other young children.