Carl Bayne recalled training with Arnold firefighter Willie Weber more than 45 years ago.
Bayne had signed on to be a junior firefighter in the city’s volunteer department.
“From (age) 14 to 17, you can only do so much until you hit 18 and get into the regular department,” Bayne said. “He’d mentor a lot of us young guys. Teach us how to be a firefighter. Not only that, just how to be a better person, too, at a young age.”
Bayne, 59, of Leechburg said he can still remember some of the valuable lessons Weber taught him and the other juniors.
“Just do what you do in your life (and) keep your self clean,” he said. “ ‘Stay away from the riff-raff,’ as he would say. It’s easy in a small town to get caught up in the wrong crowd. He kept me and a lot of guys from that.
“He’s not my friend. He’s my brother.”
Stories about mentorship, looking out for one another and treating people with respect seemed to be told on a continuous loop at an event in Weber’s honor Saturday evening.
Weber, 65, of Arnold was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in September. The retired police chief has undergone six rounds of chemotherapy.
Hundreds of people packed the Parks Volunteer Firehall to raise funds for the longtime Arnold firefighter and police officer.
“I’m not surprised at all (at the turnout),” said Tim Gorencic, longtime New Kensington firefighter and 1975 Valley High School grad. “We share in the happiness. We’re seeing friends we haven’t seen in a long time. We’re all here for the same reason.
“You can pull any person out of here and get a great interview. He’s known to all the communities around here. He wouldn’t turn his back on anybody.”
Gorencic said he and Weber played football in high school and bonded on the gridiron. Weber graduated from Valley High School in 1977.
Man of the hour
Wearing medical gloves and at times a surgical mask, Weber told the crowd he had to take some precautions in preparation for a treatment Monday.
He said the doctors told him the cancer is incurable, but he may be able to move to a maintenance program should the treatment and subsequent scan later in April show improvement.
Battling tears, he talked about how overwhelmed he was by the support of his wife, Cheryl, other family members and many others who have reached out since his diagnosis.
The cancer has caused him to step down from his part-time jobs in the Vandergrift and Parks Township police departments, as well as his part-time job driving chartered buses for Myers Coach Lines in Export.
“If I go into the maintenance side of it, maybe I come back to work, because I am losing my mind,” Weber said.
“I love my wife. She hasn’t seen me this much in 41 years. Every time UPMC calls me, they want to know if I’m safe at home. I tell them, ‘I don’t think she’d have waited 41 years. If she needed to “off” me, she’d have did it before.’ “
Weber went on to talk about his late parents and friends. How he recognized names in recent obituaries and believes there are folks smiling down upon him.
“Hopefully they’re making arrangements to get me into the party,” he said, “(but) I don’t want to go just yet.”
Event details
Nadine Artman met Weber about 10 or 15 years ago when she was volunteering at the Vandergrift Fire Department while he was a borough police officer.
She coordinated the fundraiser, which had about 50 basket raffles, a 50-50 silent auction and musical performances by 56 East and the Lenny Collini Family Pak.
There was a white canvas where people could sign their name and leave short messages of support for Weber. The canvas had a black circle in the middle that featured a green ribbon and the message “His Fight is My Fight. Big Web’s Warriors.”
There were black T-shirts available with that same message on the back and a green ribbon on the front.
Artman said she anticipated about 200 to 300 people would attend. Some bought tickets and made donations but were unable to make it. There was no fundraising goal.
“It was easier than I thought,” Artman said of organizing the event. “Everybody jumped and said, ‘What can I do?’ We all very easily came together. Everybody was willing to donate and to participate. A lot of people have been selling tickets. … It was a few phone calls and everyone rolled together.”
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Gary Harrison of Gilpin said he had two words when Artman reached out to cater the fundraiser.
“Let’s go,” said the owner of Box Alarm BBQ. He prepared copious amounts of pulled pork, hot dogs, corn dogs, mac’n cheese, beans, chili, fries, hot sausage and more.
Harrison met Weber in 1991 as a junior firefighter in Arnold. Harrison, who is still with the department, couldn’t remember any specific lessons Weber taught.
However, what stood out was his character.
“He’s the guy that would do anything for you, give you the shirt of his back,” Harrison said. “That’s the kind of guy he is.”
Harrison had a team of helpers moving food in and out. He estimated having enough for around 700 people.
When checked with the estimated 300 ticketed attendance, Harrison said firefighters tend to eat for two.
“Nobody eats like a fireman,” said Harrison. “You’re feeding more than one person.”
Police officers and firefighters from a slew of departments throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley celebrated Weber, who spent most of his law enforcement career in Arnold.
He started there in 1981 and retired as police chief in 2015. Before that, he was a patrolman, sergeant and detective.
His former boss, retired chief Ron Hopkins, led the department from 1991-2004. He called Weber his “right-hand man” and a top investigator.
“(He was) dedicated. Never missed a shift. I don’t even know if he had a sick day,” Hopkins said. “This is a reflection of the people that love him and support him.
“If he beats this, he’ll be back to work. I guarantee it.”