GoFundMe Started For Family Of Firefighter Billy Mays

BREWSTER, NY — A friend of William James May III has started a GoFundMe page to help the family of the young volunteer firefighter who died at the end of March.

"Billy was like another brother to me," said Bill Holze, who met Mays in 2016 through Holze's brother. "Billy was a great guy, always ready to help anyone."

Holze, an ex-chief from the Goldens Bridge Fire Department who now lives (and volunteers) in Mount Kisco, told Patch he and Mays often talked about their families.

"One of the reasons I reached out to the family to start the GoFundMe drive is that Billy was talking about helping his brother Christopher buy his first vehicle," Holze said. "Billy was trying to sell a vehicle to pay off loans so he could contribute. I felt like it was Billy's last wish to help his brother do something."

"That's why I reached out to the family and started the GoFundMe," he said. "Plus there's other bills that need to be taken care of, funeral expenses and everything."

It was sad to meet his mother Johanna for the first time after Mays' death, he said, "It was definitely really hard, but it felt like home."

Holze hopes to raise $20,000 for the family. So far, the drive has collected $2,380. Find the GoFundMe page here.