DENTON COUNTY, Texas — A lot of kids idolize firemen. But Lewisville firefighters Mark Casteel and Dustin Jeter say it’s what they do off duty that really gets people’s attention.
“You catch a lot of those head turn, like, ‘Really?’ [looks]” said Jeter.
Whenever they’re not fighting fires, they’re stuffing teddy bears.
Casteel and Jeter run their mobile teddy bear stuffing business, Firehouse Friends, with their wives, Elizabeth Casteel and Maranda Jeter.
Often, after a 24-hour shift at the fire house, Casteel and Jeter are dispatched to schools, parks and birthday parties all over North Texas.
The idea came to Casteel last year when his daughter asked for a teddy bear birthday party.
“We couldn’t get anybody to come out to our house, so we kind of saw a niche,” said Casteel said.
“I thought it was a great idea,” said Jeter.
Partly because they say stuffing teddy bears isn’t all that different than what they already do.
“We feel like we’re making an impact in our community, in our friends’ lives, in our family’s lives, pretty much anybody we go do an event for,” said Casteel.
“You don’t know the everlasting impact that you’re going to make,” Jeter said. “To some people, it’s a teddy bear. But to us, by the look on the child’s face and how excited they are, you truly are giving them their best friend.”
Casteel and Jeter say they love both jobs, but if forced to choose, they’d quit the job that’s most intimidating.
“Definitely the toddlers,” said Casteel.
“Yep,” agreed Jeter.
They both say getting a kid’s stuffed animal just right is harder than fighting fires.
Proof that those who bring joy to children are definitely heroes.
Firehouse Friends can be found on Instagram at @firehouse_friends or Facebook at @FireHouseFriends.