An unexpected kindness extended by the crew at Macungie Ambulance Corps to an area family in need of help during a cancer crisis led to the creation of a memorial foundation that has turned out to be a major benefactor to the corps and, secondarily, to other first responder agencies in the Lehigh Valley.

Herb and Wendy Frye in 2017 were looking for transportation for their daughter, Merissa, from the Lehigh Valley to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Merissa had been diagnosed with small cell cervical cancer. After treatment locally, the Fryes were seeking additional assessment from Sloan Kettering regarding ongoing treatment options.

A call to a regional ambulance provider resulted in an offer for the transport that would exceed $2,000. Seeking a less costly option, Herb Frye contacted Macungie Ambulance Corps for another estimate.

On receiving the call, Macungie Ambulance Corps Operations Manager Christopher Greb, said his first thought was, “If this were my daughter, I’d do anything I could to help,” and offered Herb Frye the transport at no cost.

Herb Frye said he was incredulous and incredibly grateful for the offer and arrangements were made. “The crew was here very early in the morning and everything went smoothly for the trip into New York and back at the end of the day after Merissa’s assessment,” Herb Frye said.

While there was temporary remission, the rare cancer was too much for Merissa to survive and she died in early 2018.

A chance encounter between Herb Frye and Dr. Richard Boulay, who had been Merissa’s primary cancer physician, lead to Herb Frye wanting to “do more” to express gratitude and to memorialize Merissa. Boulay had prior experience with his own foundation, the Catherine Boulay Foundation.

From that genesis, the Merissa L. Frye Small Cell Cervical Cancer Memorial Foundation was established in 2018.

Though in its infant stages, the foundation has been involved with multiple fundraising and community events, including a bowling benefit and educational scholarships that have benefited Emmaus High School students.

A golf charity event held recently at Wedgewood Golf Course, Center Valley, is just the latest of the fundraising efforts the foundation is using to help the Fryes memorialize their daughter.

Greb said Herb Frye visited him late last year and explained his plans for the foundation to support research and awareness and his intent to memorialize Merissa for the many community interests she had before her illness and to memorialize the many lives she touched in the community.

Herb Frye said he wanted donations from the foundation to be used by Macungie Ambulance Corps to benefit a wider Lehigh Valley community.

Greb founded the Merissa L. Frye memorial training fund to support area first responder training and equipment needs. The fund has provided first responder training and also public community training, such as a recent CPR course given at no charge at the Lower Macungie Community Center.

In addition to donations from the foundation to Macungie Ambulance Corps, Herb Frye presented a check for $5,000 to the ambulance corps at an awards luncheon following the charity golf scramble.

Greb said a simple 2017 gesture of community support has grown into something much larger – an ongoing effort that carries a young daughter’s memory into ensuing years and assures she will keep touching lives in the Lehigh Valley.