Repaying The Debt

West Ashley will once again open its collective heart on Friday for a local firefighter who was severely injured in the line of duty earlier this year.
“Concert for Kingery” will run from 7 p.m. until midnight at the Kickin’ Chicken at 1179 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. It will feature live bands and several raffles to raise money to help the fallen hero.
In June, Darin Kingery, 35, an engineer with the North Charleston Fire Department, was working an accident scene. Without warning, an allegedly drunken driver, who had apparently entered the country illegally, drove through the scene, striking Kingery and others with his car.
His leg broken, Kingery was taken to the hospital, where a growing infection in that leg led to its amputation. Now fitted with a prosthetic leg, Kingery still faces a tough road to a complete recovery and mounting bills.
In July, Pierpont Pub hosted a similar benefit. After that event, Kingery posted on his Facebook account that “if it was not for all of you I would have given up. I thank God every day that you guys wouldn’t let me.”
Kingery knows a lot about bouncing back. In May of 2012, Kingery was involved in a motorcycle accident that saw him transported by helicopter to a hospital. Despite the severity of that accident, he was still able to return to work, saving others’ lives and property.
Now, it’s time for us to repay that debt.