Oil truck driver saves dog in Rochester fire: ‘What a courageous act’

Matthew Wrisley, an oil truck driver for D.F. Richard Energy, is being credited with saving a family’s dog in a fire that destroyed their home Sept. 23.

Michael LaPanne, operations manger for D.F. Richard, said Wrisley was driving by when he saw the mobile home on fire at 23 Royal Crest Park in the Hideaway Village neighborhood. He said Wrisley is shy and doesn’t want attention for saving Max, the dog.

“He kicked in the door and saved the dog,” LaPanne said. “He is kind of embarrassed by all the attention he is receiving. He said he just did it, and he would do it again, because it was the right thing to do. He said he just wants to go back to doing his job.”

Dylan and Erin L’Heureux and their young son were not home at the time of the fire and they are safe. Their two cats were located by firefighters, given oxygen and survived.

Owen Richard, grandson of the D.F. Richard Energy’s founder, Ray Richard, said the company is very proud of Wrisley.

Dianna Purves, a resident of 47 Royal Crest Park, said she witnessed the driver’s heroics and talked to him.

“He could barely see Max’s black face in the front window,” she said. “Took him a few tries to kick in that door. He coaxed Max to come to him because he couldn’t go in and he took him and went down to the end of the street just in case the propane exploded. Thankfully that didn’t happen. He waited for the owner to show up. He loves dogs. He has dogs himself. He even had a leash for Max so he could be safely walked to the owners’ aunt’s house. I absolutely love Max and was very relieved to see him sitting in the D.F. Richard van. … He was a hero. What a courageous act.”

How to help family who lost home in fire

Kevin Brigham, president and board chair for Hideaway Village Cooperative, set up a fundraising effort to help the family: gofund.me/d8a735913.

• Donations of the following items can be dropped off at Carissa Vestal’s home at 18 Royal Crest, Rochester:
• Boys clothes (size 3T/4T)
• Boys 10C shoes
• Men’s large shirts
• Men’s pants, size 30×32
• Women’s large shirts
• Women’s pants, size 10/12
• Boys toys (Age 4)

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat. Reporting by Karen Dandurant, Foster’s Daily Democrat / Fosters Daily Democrat