Hello, My name is Chris Richardson; writing on behalf of my wife Ashlyn Richardson, brother in law Tyler Woodruff, and mother in law Bonnie Woodruff. 

 

On Friday October 24th, 2025 our lives were changed forever. At 3:48pm, while working in another room on my laptop, after hearing joking and laughter only minutes before, I heard the sounds of screams and pleading for me to call 911. My father in law Stephen Woodruff had gone into sudden cardiac arrest. After calling 911 and handing the phone to my wife Ashlyn, I ran to my mother in law's side, where we pulled him off of the couch, onto the floor and I began to perform chest compressions at the instruction of the 911 dispatcher. For about 5 minutes, that felt like an eternity, Ashlyn and I took turns performing chest compressions, desperately trying to revive Steve. North Port Fire and Rescue arrived, pulling Ashlyn off of her father, and began attempting to save his life. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead shortly later. 

 

Steve spent 20 years as a firefighter, and after retiring to focus on his family, made a career as a safety engineer. He spent his whole life protecting, not just his family, but everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. Never in my life have I seen a more loving husband, father, and father in law. Steve was a hero to his family, and to everyone who knew him, he was a tremendous human being, and this world is a worse place without him in it. 

 

Aside from the unimaginable grief our family is experiencing, we're also running into financial hurdles, which we have been managing to make it through but have put a noticeable strain on our family during this horrible time. Any funds generated from this fundraiser will go towards alleviating the financial pressure placed on our family, with a portion being donated to the North Port Fire Dept in Steve's honor. They truly are heroes who tried their best to save him, and we can't thank them enough. 

 

Thank you to all who donate and share. Please don't forget to tell your loved ones that you love them. This incident has shown all of us that they can be taken in an instant. God bless.