Pancake breakfast raises thousands for firefighter's son battling cancer

MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WTVF) — Firefighters rush to our aid when we need help, but Saturday, the roles were reversed in Mt. Juliet. Hundreds came out to a pancake breakfast, where $10 a plate got you a hearty breakfast, all for a good cause.

"I’m pouring, he’s flipping," explained Jim Carroll with Rehab 23, a group that provides respite for first responders.

"[We support] the fire department and police department when they go out on the scene, we go with them. Provide water, Gatorade, snacks," said Carroll.

Sure enough, one of Mt. Juliet's firefighters, Jordan Hastings, does need help. His family was on vacation three weeks ago when Jordan's son became seriously sick. By the time they flew Knox back to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, doctors discovered the 12-year-old had Leukemia.

"I told him I said we’re just not going to lose that boy," said Mt. Juliet Fire Chief Jamie Luffman.

Knox is currently undergoing aggressive treatment. It's working but it's also expensive. "We want them to be able to concentrate solely on Knox and not about the other," said Chief Luffman.

So Rehab 23 decided to flip their fate by hosting the pancake breakfast. As you might expect, people donated a lot more than the $10 entry fee. "The people here have just been so generous and so outpouring with everything," said Pattie Laird, also a member of Rehab 23.

So much so, they almost ran out of food. "We may end up at Cracker Barrel," joked Chief Luffman.

In all -- the pancake breakfast raised just shy of $8,000 dollars for the Hastings family.

If you didn't get a chance to come out and get some pancakes, but would still like to help the Hastings family, they have another fundraiser coming up Sunday, September 12th. Circle P is hosting a fish fry that will feature firetrucks, police cars and things to do for the kids.

Follow Mt. Juliet Fire Department on social media for more information closer to the date.