Stephen Murdock and his son Joshua.

STEPHEN MURDOCK IS A LT FIRE MEDIC ON LADDER TRUCK FOR THE INDIAN RIVER COUNTY FIRE RESCUE WHO IS CURRENTLY UNDER DETOXIFICATION DUE TO CHEMICALS INHALED FROM BEING A FIREFIGHTER AS WELL AS MOLD TOXITY TREATMENT DUE TO HIS FIRE HOUSE BEING FILLED WITH BLACK MOLD. 

Stephen is a husband, a father to three, and a United States Marine Corps veteran. He has been a firefighter for 19 years, serving Indian River County Fire Rescue 17 of those years, and calls Vero Beach his home.

Over the last seven years, he has been experiencing a decline in his health and now has anxiety, depression, irritability, daily headaches/migraines, chest pain from unknown origin, short term memory loss, back spasms, ringing in the ears, weakening in the neck muscles, insomnia, panic disorder, and PTSD. As his family and friends have surrounded him with support and prayers, they have watched a once strong man become completely broken both physically, mentally, and emotionlly. But in this season of despair and pain, there is hope.

Stephen is currently undergoing treatment for mold toxicity at the Sponaugle Wellness Institute under the care of Dr. Sponaugle, a brilliant doctor and the first of seven doctors to be able to connect Stephen’s symptoms with the mold he tested positive for; Citrinin, Tricothecene, and Ochatoxin A. Dr. Sponaugle has been the first to give Stephen an understanding and any hope of healing.

His treatments include daily infusions, supplements, and ionic foot baths to help purge and heal his body from within.

Unfortunately, majority of his medical costs are out of pocket as there is little that his insurance coverage from IRC will cover. Even upon filing a workers comp claim to attempt to receive medical care and treatment, his claim was denied. Unfortunately, his is not the only case.

Stephen’s hope after his treatments are complete is to share with the approximate 80 other brothers and sisters in his department who are also sick, that there is help and a doctor who understands and can treat them.

Unfortunately, Stephen’s story doesn’t end there. It continues with his six year old son, Joshua.

Joshua was the last addition to the family, a child that was prayed for, for many years.

Not knowing the cause of Stephen’s symptoms or even thinking that mold could be in Stephen’s blood and tissues, Joshua was conceived and born in March 2010.

At first glance a young healthy baby, as an infant Joshua began showing signs and symptoms of Sensory Integration Processing Disorder. He has severe OCD, is over stimulated, daily deals with situations involving texture of clothes, socks, and shoes, inability to sit still, vision disturbances, and excitedness that results in flailing hands.

Fortunately, it was discovered that scratching his back has a complete calming affect on him. For Joshua’s first few years, his diagnosis of SI didn’t make any sense. Especially, when there is no family history of this on either side of the family.

So you can imagine the shock when it was suggested that the mold in Stephen’s body could be transferred to his unborn child at inception, causing the fetus’ brain to be over electrified resulting in a child to display SI ticks. This sweet child and heavenly gift was born toxic, from toxins inhaled from past fires and the mold in his daddy’s fire house. We are currently waiting for the results of his tests to reveal the amount of toxicity in his blood.

Joshua Murdock

To date Joshua enjoys school and playing on the playground with his friends. He doesn’t mind the special treatment he receives to sit on the floor in his clasroom so he can see the overhead projector, but he does have to carry a “wiggle seat” to school to help him concentrate. That bothers him the most because the kids do say things to him.

Unfortunately, his school district has denied him Occupational Therapy, stating that although they recognize that he is presenting with SI symptoms in class, they do not feel it is interefering with his classwork; therefore they have ranked him a two out of three, with three being eligible for OT.

Joshua will need to go through mold toxicity treatment just like his daddy, Stephen Murdock, Lt Fire Medic for IRCFR. And much like his daddy, insurance coverage is limited and treatment will be primarily out of pocket.

Would you please consider supporting your Red Line Brothers and Sisters and their families by making a donation to help raise money for both Stephen’s and Joshua’s treatments. Any funds raised in excess will be given to the fellow firefighters of IRCFR that have also been affected by toxins produced in fires and the mold in their fire houses.

Please help spread the word!

Please click on the following link to make a donation and help Stephen and his son Joshua reach the financial goal necessary to pay for their treatments.

https://www.gofundme.com/help-a-firefighter-and-his-son?ssid=873827816&pos=2