RISINGSUN, Ohio — Risingsun in southeast Wood County has about 550 residents and only 16 volunteer firefighters. One of those volunteers is a 20-year-old who has faced a gutsy battle.
Emma Holman was born with intestinal malrotation. Her family found out about the diagnosis when she was five days old.
The National Institute of Health lists intestinal malrotation as a birth defect where a baby's intestines don't form properly to the abdomen during a mother's pregnancy.
Holman has had multiple surgeries to correct it, but back in September, the pain began again. The pain was the result of her intestines re-twisting, resulting in her needing more surgeries.
"Nine-hour surgery the first time, and then the second time, I had problems and I needed to go into emergency surgery because my colon flipped onto my small intestine," said Holman. "Then about a week later came my third surgery."
Emma had received three surgeries in just two weeks. Through it all, a fleet of firefighters stood behind her. Now she's back in the firehouse, rigging equipment for trucks while she waits to be medically cleared for active duty.
"Emma is just a very special person," said Mike Cox, chief of the Risingsun Volunteer Fire Department. "She has a great personality, she's funny, she's offbeat."
Cox said Holman marches to the beat of her own drum, bringing friendship and fun, from the farm to the firehouse.
"She was here six months and she had a bunch of 50-year-old guys sitting around making friendship bracelets during the solar eclipse event," said Cox. "We don't get a lot of new people that just walk in and say they want to join, especially not young women, but we have been thrilled to have her here."
Holman said her battle is not over. She will be reevaluated in the new year to see if she will need more surgeries.
But she's not losing faith either way, especially with a volunteer family on her side.