TikTok-famous Florida firefighter, former UCF player hospitalized with serious infection days before Christmas
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - Three years ago, Seminole County firefighter and former UCF football player Chris Askew's TikTok videos took the internet by storm as millions of people watched the dancing dad do what he could to stay positive while his newborn son recovered in the NICU.
"To not get caught in that vortex, you have to separate yourself and have to find a way to disassociate yourself," Askew said in an interview with FOX 35 in February 2020.
Viral 'TikTok' dad still dancing as wife and baby come home from Orlando hospital
With baby Dylan now home, mom and dad are joining in on the TikTok fun for the first time together.
Now, the father of four and his family need the community's support.
"It's really day by day, hour by hour, right now," his wife Danielle said Tuesday.
Chris has been hospitalized at Orlando Regional Medical Center since Saturday after getting a serious infection while battling the flu.
"He's got a systemic strep infection through his bloodstream, and they don't know how the strep got into his bloodstream," Danielle said via Zoom from Chris' hospital room.
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He's been in and out of sedation, she says, and is communicating when he can.
"He signed ‘I love you’ to me, and he joked around with the fire department guys and made them laugh. He has smiled even with a tube in his mouth," Danielle said.
As soon as his coworkers at Seminole County Fire Department found out what was happening, they immediately stepped up to help.
"I truly consider him a brother. … Somebody had to kind of take the lead on this, and it might as well be me," Lt. JJ DePierro said.
Seminole County firefighter Chris Askew with his family. [Credit: Family handout]
He's been coordinating meal and Christmas gift drop-offs while Chris' family focuses on his recovery.
"When they told us that they may have to cancel Christmas this year, we told Danielle, ‘Absolutely not.’ We've got enough resources to make this happen and give those boys the best Christmas they've ever had," Lt. DePierro said.
He says the community's outpouring of support in just a few days has been overwhelming. Several dozen people have already signed up to deliver meals, and the Christmas gift donations for Chris' four boys keep growing.
"For 15 years, Chris has served his community, and now it's almost like the roles have been reversed, and you've got the people that he's been taking care of taking care of him now. It's truly been a team effort," Lt. DePierro said.
And perhaps a last-minute addition to their Christmas wish list this year: a miracle that Chris pulls through.
"I love him so much, and he's an amazing, amazing dad. His boys miss him so much, and I'm just so thankful for everybody," Danielle said.
Because of the overwhelming support, the meal drop-off schedule is already full. For now, the family is asking for prayers.