You spent 38 years saving lives. Who is going to save you?
The dream always starts the same way. The smell of moss and gasoline. The sound of metal twisting around a tree like crumpled foil. The “Girl with the Blue Eyes” staring back at you, waiting for a rescue that isn’t coming.
For Mike Dettmer, these aren’t just stories. They are the “ghosts” that followed him home after nearly four decades in the fire service.
Then came Stan. A silver-eyed husky mix rescued just twenty-four hours before he was scheduled to be euthanized. Stan didn’t have training or a badge. What he did have was a “silent presence” that could sense a flashback before it even hit.
A Memoir of Fire, Trauma, and a Dog’s Quiet Grace.
In the fire service, you are trained to be unbreakable. You pack the tragedy into “tight, silent compartments” so you can move on to the next call. But after the retirement ceremony ends and the sirens fade, the compartments begin to crack.
Stan: The One Who Stayed takes you inside the most harrowing calls of a 38-year career:
- Holmes Point Drive: The wreck that became a permanent resident in Mike’s dreams.
- The Daycare Porch: A December afternoon that changed the meaning of Christmas forever.
- The Face at the Window: A thirteen-year-old girl’s desperate plea that no training manual could prepare him for.
Mike Dettmer
Mike Dettmer didn’t just fight fires; he fought for the lives of the people beside him. As a Training and Health & Safety Chief, he spent his final years rewriting the rules to keep his “brotherhood” safe from the hidden killers of the job.
Now, he shares the final truth he learned after the gear was turned in: “You don’t have to be unbreakable to be brave”. Mike lives on Camano Island, where he continues to walk—sometimes five feet ahead, sometimes five feet behind—with the dog who saved him.
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Our Clients Say
Many of us who aren’t first responders see the men and women working around the flashing lights as heroes placed on a pedestal. Their work almost seems autonomous in a way that years of training has enabled. We take for granted their quiet professionalism, maybe thank the for their service, and give it little other thought.
This book stood out to me because it highlighted the very human aspect of a firefighter’s career. It gives a unique glimpse into the silent costs of a career helping people during the hardest days of their lives, and the long process of acceptance and healing that follows. I was especially moved by his account of his dog’s support and their reliance on each other.
This book can be a quick read, but I’ll definitely be returning to certain chapters. It’s the kind of book that you’ll think about long after closing it.
Truly inspiring and thoughtfully written! It made me teary-eyed several times. I really loved the opportunity to learn more about what our first responder heroes go through on a daily basis and how that shapes them. A positive message about mental health and what the road to healing looks like – a great read for not just first responders but for anyone. Thank you to Mike!
I loved this read!! It’s beautiful, honest, and deeply human. I cried, but not in an overwhelming way. It felt grounding and comforting. I loved how it reminds you that it’s okay to carry things with you, and that living with PTSD or lasting memories does not mean you are broken. I really hope this book finds the people who can relate and need it most, including first responders, veterans, family members, or anyone with moments from their life that stayed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this book only for firefighters and first responders?
While the stories are born in the fire service, the heart of the book is universal. It is for anyone who has carried a silent weight, anyone who has struggled with trauma, or anyone who has found healing in the presence of a loyal animal. If you have ever felt like you were carrying the ghosts of your past, this story is for you.
How much of the book is about Stan versus the fire service?
The two are inseparable. The book unifies thirty-eight years of high-stakes emergency calls with the quiet, transformative moments of life with Stan. You will experience the intensity of the red lights and sirens, but you will also see how a silver-eyed rescue dog provided the intervention that years of training could not.
Why did you decide to share such vulnerable stories now?
For decades, I believed that forgetting was the same as healing. I was wrong. I wrote this because there is a stigma around mental health in the first responder community. I wanted to show that even a Health and Safety Chief can struggle. Asking for help (or leaning on a four-legged partner) is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Is Stan still with you?
Stan’s presence is felt in every word of this book. He taught me how to stay in the present moment. Today, he continues to be my shadow, my partner, and the living reminder that some of the best souls are found in the back of a kennel, just waiting for a second chance.
