Glendale firefighters help disabled veteran get home after his mobility scooter breaks

GLENDALE, Ariz. - A Valley man is thankful to Glendale Fire for helping him get back home safely after his scooter broke last Sunday.

It was the night of Feb. 7 when Charles Kretschmar was heading to the store near 59th Avenue and Northern. There, his mobility scooter broke down.

"I’m a disabled veteran," Kretschmar said. "I can’t walk, I mean I can stand up next to my scooter as long as I’m holding on to it. I was able to check the fuses and circuit breaker and it was no problem there."

The veteran was left frantically looking for help. After he couldn't find anyone to come and help, he called on the help of Glendale Police, who transferred him to Glendale Fire.

Glendale Fire crews help a man with a broken scooter get home. (Photo: Glendale FD)

"They walked down here, they got my scooter free-wheeled, got me turned around and pushed me 3-and-a-half blocks to the house," he said.

Kretschmar made it back home safe and sound.

"I really appreciated the fact that they came out to do this, and I just barbecued that night so I had all this meat at the house," he said. "I offered them a bag of meat and they wouldn’t even take it!"

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