Support for the McFee Family

Hi, my name is Ed Reaven and my sister Lainie Reaven McFee has experienced a tremendous amount of loss over the last three months.

On Wednesday, January 4, 2023, her beloved husband, James "Jim" McFee, 56, passed away following a month of hospitalization.

Jim was a great man who dedicated his life to his family and his community. He served in the US Army in West Germany in the mid-1980s, and then went onto a fulfilling career as an EMT for over 30 years in Brooklyn, NY and Palm Beach and Lee Counties in Florida. He was a First Responder at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 and was trapped in a store on Liberty Street after 7 WTC collapsed. After he and his partner were extricated, they managed to rescue another individual who went on to survive his injuries.

But like many other 9/11 first responders, Jim suffered from various ailments in the years afterward, including a bout with skin cancer on his nose, liver ailments, rheumatoid arthritis, pneumonia and severe PTSD.

Those ailments forced him to retire from his decade-long career as a paramedic/ FTO with Lee County EMS.

Ultimately, all those health issues that plagued Jim after 9/11 caught up with him, and he passed away with Lainie holding his hand on 1/4/23. He left behind two amazing sons, Sean, 16 and Kevin, 21, who now have to become the men of the family, but who miss their father dearly.

Prior to this tragedy, the McFees, like many others in southwest Florida, endured the wrath of Hurricane Ian. Lainie, a labor and delivery nurse at Lee County Memorial Hospital, was working non-stop for 4 consecutive days & nights to help the community, when her car, which was parked in the hospital's parking lot, was swamped and totaled. The car was already paid off and now the family had to cover the gap between the small insurance payout and the price of a new car. In addition, there was damage to their house in Cape Coral, which they hadn't even gotten to in the wake of Jim's hospitalization.

Since Jim was no longer working and due to his various ailments, was unable to help support the family, Lainie had to work a second job as well as take care of the kids and do all the housework. Now she will need to continue with this without her husband.

If you can find it in your heart to donate anything, I'm sure she, Kevin & Sean would be appreciative. Thanks for listening.