Firefighters Deliver Whataburger to Colleague in Hospital, Use Ladder Truck to Visit Through Window

Lake Cities Fire Department Capt. Troy Hammons has been in the hospital for more than a month, often without visitors because of coronavirus concerns.

When his fellow firefighters asked if there was anything he needed, he simply wanted a Whataburger breakfast.

So they showed up last week with his favorite meal and a plan to deliver it via ladder truck, but the hospital windows don't open.

So Hammons' wife made the fifth-floor breakfast delivery of biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs and hashbrowns, but his fellow firefighters still surprised him with a face-to-face visit through the window.

"I can tell you, Capt. Hammons is not one for attention. So we were all convinced he was going to be upset with us," said Lake Cities Fire Chief Michael Ross. "But when we saw the smiles on his face, we're like, you know, I think he'll forgive us."

Hammons had his leg amputated after suffering a severe infection from a torn calf muscle and because of the pandemic, his visitors have been limited.

"I was telling someone, I think it did as much good for me and for us as it did for him," said Ross. "It was good to put eyes on him and see for ourselves and just personally look him in the eyes and say, 'Hey man, we love you, we support you, we're ready for you to come back, you know?'"