STONE COUNTY, Mo. --- There's a new chief in town.
An Ozarks boy given just six-months to live at birth is now the newest member of the Southern Stone County Fire Protection District. Now 10 years old, Victor Kelbaugh has spent much of his life fighting for it in a hospital and defying the odds. The rest of his time he spends supporting his heroes in the fire department, whether it be a basketball game or other events. So Sunday those firefighters decided to honor him the best way they knew how, naming him honorary fire chief.
Victor is diagnosed with a severe form of Arthrogryposis, a rare congenital disorder that can include muscle weakness and fibrosis. The Southern Stone County Fire Protection District's mission statement is in part to "understand that each firefighter is valuable and to maximize each persons potential." Victor, who's father is a captain in the department, now falls under that category.
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