A Lancaster County fireman, who has spent decades helping others, is now facing the fight of his life.

In October, Neffsville Fire Chief Mike Hearn was diagnosed with cancer.

It came as a shocking surprise.

This holiday season, however, he is not fighting the condition alone.

Kids and parents came to the Neffsville Fire Company in Lancaster County, with cameras and their Christmas best, to see Santa Claus and share a big breakfast.

Fire Chief Mike Elliott told Channel 5, "We expected it to be big, but not as big as it turned out to be."

The money raised through this years breakfast will help cover Hearns chemotherapy expenses.

We're probably in the 600 to 700 people range and a typical breakfast goes for about 200 people, Elliot said.

The big turnout created a large amount of money to help Hearn. In all, $5,259.50 was raised at the breakfast, about four times the normal sum.

Petra Long went to support Hearn and said, "We hope and pray he's going to have some hard times ahead of him."

Another visitor, Michelle Leed, said, He's a great guy he's always been there for us and makes us laugh."

The Neffsville Fire Co. is still collecting donations for Chief Hearn.

Payments can be made out to the Neffsville Fire Co., P.O. Box 5404, Lancaster, PA 17606.

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