(June 29, 2008) -- Hundreds of well-wishers crowded into the Gatesville Fire Station on Sunday afternoon for a fish fry and bake sale to benefit one of their own who has been diagnosed with cancer.

The final tally was more than $10,000.

Thomas Majusiak, longtime resident of Gatesville; current Gatesville police officer, active volunteer Gatesville fire fighter, part-time employee for Coryell Memorial Hospital & former deputy sheriff with the Coryell County Sheriff’s Department, was told a few weeks ago he is suffering brain cancer.

Majusiak, soon to be 50, must make weekly trips to Waco for cancer treatments.

He also has suffered a stroke related to his cancer.

Fire fighters, his brother police officers and medical personnel from Coryell Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Medical teams spent hours Saturday night and early Sunday morning preparing for the event.

By the time the event was scheduled – 11 a.m. Sunday – the fire hall was packed and hundreds stood in line. The parking lot was overflowing onto adjacent lots.

Organizers were anticipating even more patrons when churches let out at noon.

Even Med Star helicopter crews from Temple’s Scott and White Hospital flew to Gatesville for lunch to support the effort.

Majusiak had a long-practiced reputation for dedicating uncounted hours as a community servant and volunteer. He is known as one who always is available when someone needs help.

Majusiak, a U.S. Army veteran, he moved his family to Gatesville several years ago because it’s where his wife grew up. The couple has two grown sons.

Firefighters prepared many pounds of catfish and tables-full of baked goods were donated for sale.

Gatesville fire chief Billy Vaden told News 10 the benefit sold 730 plates at $5-per-plate, “but we raised much more than that because many people paid extra and many made donations without eating.”

Including the bake sale and all funds gathered, the benefit is thought to have raised $9,410 from lunch and donations and $2,461 from the bake sale, for a total of $11,871, Vaden said.

All proceeds were donated to the Majusiak family to help offset financial burdens while Tom is being treated.