Friends Rush To Support Benefit For Longtime Medford DPW Employee

MEDFORD, MA — Jimmy Granara has known Brian Rabbitt for more than 50 years going back to their time in kindergarten together at the former Dame Elementary School. For the past 15 years, Granara said he tried to get Rabbitt — whom he calls "a brother to me" — to take a few days off each year and go to Granara's place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for a little downtime. But Rabbitt always declined — too much to be done in the Medford Department of Public Works.

"He's one of the hardest workers in the city," Granara said. "He said he was always too busy. You couldn't get him to relax."

Only this time when Granara asked Rabbitt to go to Florida about six weeks ago it was different. Rabbitt had just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The man who played Santa Claus each year at the city's Jingle Bells Festival, and who friends say would rush to lend a helping hand to anyone at any time for any reason, decided to accept a few days for himself.

"There were five of us there and we sat there and laughed the whole time," Granara said. "It was great to see him get away and get his mind off it for a few days because we knew when he got back he was going to be starting his treatments."

Granara said the few days in the sun were not nearly enough to give back to a friend who had done so much for so many in the city. So he also began organizing the benefit "A Time to Support Our Friend Brian Rabbitt" this Saturday at the American Legion Post 45.

He said he has received "overwhelming support" in putting together the event.

"Just so many people have heard about it and reached out that I can't count," Granara said. "Everybody keeps asking: 'What can I do? What can I do?' From the Mayor's office, to the DPW, to the Gas company. It's like something I've never seen."

When Granara called Medford police officer Richie Raso, owner or Raso's Bar and Grille, about a deposit for food for the event, Raso would have none of it.

"We're going to donate all the food," Raso said. "A lot of people are donating different types of things for raffles and prizes. I had someone in the community offer me a few bucks for the food I was giving them. But I don't even want that. I might use it to buy another prize for the raffle."

Raso, who has known Rabbitt for more than 20 years, echoed the sentiment that people in Medford want to be there for him because of the way he's been there for them over the years.

"If you were in Wisconsin and something happened all you'd have to do was call him and he would drive all the way out there to bring you what you needed," Raso said.

Retired Medford Deputy Fire Chief David McCourt offered to come out of his retirement as a disc jockey to spin a few tunes for the party that is scheduled for 8 p.m. to midnight. The night will include dinner for a $25 donation. Granara said he originally expected up to 150 at the event, but that number has grown to between 200 and 250.

"When he got diagnosed it broke my heart," said Granara, who lost his sister, Kathleen, to pancreatic cancer 10 years ago. "He's like a brother to me. When a sibling of yours gets sick, you get sick. We knew we had to do something for him because no matter what it is he is always there for you."