Community rallies around former firefighter after vandals strike home

ST. ANTHONY, Minn. (KSMP) - The family of a St. Anthony firefighter, forced to leave the force because of medical issues, woke up to a nasty surprise on Friday.

Someone stole thousands of dollars worth of personal items, as well as one of the family’s vehicles from the home of Isaac Davis. The thieves also got away with some important medication.

“I've been nauseous all day," Davis said. "I can feel it in my gut, I can feel it in my heart that I'm angry."

But Davis said there's just too much cleaning up to do inside his family's garage to be angry. The burglars were not content to just steal tools and other items, but also compelled to spray paint thinner all over the garage.

“They tore apart our cars and sprayed it on our kids car seats, they just sprayed everything," said Hallie Davis, Isaac’s wife. "Not only did they take like stuff that was obviously worth money, but they took stuff that was from his grandfather.” 

Davis followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was a Minneapolis firefighter for three decades.

He was forced to resign from the St. Anthony Fire Department last month as his health deteriorated.

In 2015, he was 26 and probably the fittest firefighter with the St. Anthony Fire Department.

Just two months later, he was in the hospital for a bout of sepsis. He was later diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis and hypophosphatemia. He also developed muscular myopathy, and doctors are researching whether his condition has roots in his genetics.

“It's weird being as young as we are, watching your husband deteriorate in front of you," Hallie Davis said. "He was just so healthy and strong.” 

Now he needs medications to survive, though the thieves stole some of those too.

They also damaged his wheelchair and stole the vest he uses to make it easier to hunt.

For Davis, the calm he summoned when responding to emergencies is helping him deal with this latest setback.

“I can hold on to that anger a little bit," Davis said. "Deal with the situation at hand, and make sure everyone and everything is ok. And then deal with it I guess."

The family is getting help from friends and neighbors, as well as members of the St. Anthony Fire Department, setting up a GoFundMe page to help with expenses.