NAHANT — It wasn’t quite a walk in the park for Sean Carritte and Billy Hussey.
The Nahant firefighters participated in the American Lung Association’s Fight for Air event that was held at Fenway Park last month. Funds from the June 26 event will go toward research of lung diseases, lung cancer, and also COVID-19.
Carritte and other firefighters traversed the bleachers of the historic park in their firefighting gear. Besides the “Green Monster,” the Nahant firefighters went up and down nearly every stairway in the building.
Hussey joined him every step along the way. For hum, being able to participate hit closer to home as his grandfather had passed away due to lung disease and lung issues.
In past years the event had been held in high-rises in the city where participants would climb 41 flights of stairs, but this year participants got to enjoy the history of the Boston ballpark.
“It was a good time,” Carritte said. “It was fun. It was only my third time at Fenway Park. It was interesting to see it in the daytime and how they had everything set up. Going through the stands you get to see the history of Fenway, like the nooks and crannies that you don’t normally get to see on TV.”
Carritte had done a prior event and was hoping to do so again in 2020, but due to the pandemic, the event didn’t take place. So when it was announced that the event would be taking place at Fenway, the firefighter jumped at the opportunity.
But for Hussey this was his first time participating in the event and he said the fact that it was held at the ballpark might have made things just a little bit easier for participants.
“I’d say it was a benefit having it at Fenway, being able to go down the stairs instead up all the way. Which I’m sure was more of a battle in the high rise.”
Even with the pandemic continuing to rage on, Carritte said that he didn’t have any difficulty raising money for the event. The Nahant firefighter credited social media and the generosity of friends and family who helped him raise over $600.
Overall the Boston event was able to raise over $150,000 to support the Lung Association’s research, educational programs, and advocacy efforts.
When Carritte first participated in the event, he didn’t know if he would be able to finish because he joined the team with three weeks to go before the event. After finishing his first one, the event is something that he looks forward to doing.
‘It’s just a lot of fun being able to cross the finish line.”
