Benefit to baldness Firefighters use their heads to support one of their own

SALISBURY — Samson may have lost his power when Delilah cut his hair, but the bald heads at the Salisbury Fire Department stand for strength and support, hope and love for firefighter Dana Chouinard and his wife, Darlene Chouinard, as she fights a frightening enemy.

It didn't take long for more than 20 members of the department to sit in a chair and submit to firefighter Matt Swenson's clippers when they heard Darlene Chouinard was fighting cancer and losing her hair to chemotherapy. The wife of 30-year department veteran Dana Chouinard, Darlene Chouinard first faced cancer 18 years ago. She's got a good record to go on — she won that battle.

"This is her second go-round with cancer," Dana Chouinard said. "She's a pretty strong girl, so we have hope. We'll be married 30 years in September. She's been my sweetheart for 33 years. I just love her so much."

The mother of two daughters and grandmother of three, Darlene Chouinard had major surgery Friday morning at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. On Saturday morning, Dana Chouinard said she was a little groggy when he called, but "doing OK."

"Things are looking more positive now," he said. "We think she may be home (tomorrow)."

Hearing the good news from their colleague at the fire station early Saturday morning, the now-bald members of the Salisbury Firefighters Chouinard Brigade were elated. Underneath shiny heads, Dana Chouinard's update on his wife's condition put smiles on their faces and a bounce in their step.

Dana Chouinard said when his wife heard her bald buddies would be posing for a picture just for her, she had one request.

"She wanted them to wear their bunker (firefighting) pants and no shirts," he laughed. "She got half of her wish."

LeSage said after shaving his head with a couple of other firefighters as a sign of support for Darlene Chouinard last Sunday, he went on vacation. When he returned Wednesday, there were a lot more naked heads. Over the next couple of days, hair flew at the fire station as more and more men gave theirs up for Chouinard.

"On Thursday night a young firefighter-hopeful, Cameron Robinson, dropped by to visit," LeSage said. "By the time he left, he was bald, too."

Getting a picture for Darlene Chouinard was important for the firefighters, many of whom showed up early on their day off to stand, bald and proud, in support of their colleague and his wife.

"Mike Sweeney and Cameron shaved their heads but couldn't make the picture," LeSage said. "But they're in this, too. We're all here for Dana and Darlene."

That's what firefighters do, after all. Their mission is to rescue those in danger.

"I've worked with Dana and known Darlene for years," LeSage said. "She's a real special lady. A really good person."

Photos

Members of the Salisbury Fire Department pose outside the station Saturday. After firefighter Dana Chouinard's wife, Darlene Chouinard, was diagnosed with cancer and lost her hair to chemotherapy, more than 15 Salisbury firefighters shaved their heads in a show of support and solidarity. Staff photo