For much of his life, Bobby Larisa has been the person others could count on in their moments of greatest need.

Whether volunteering with the Bristol Fire Department, serving as a career firefighter in Barrington or working as an EMT in Fall River, Larisa has dedicated himself to helping others.

Now, at just 38 years old, the husband and father of four finds himself on the other side of that service, awaiting a heart transplant at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. The community he has spent years serving is coming together to support him and his family.

For Mike Cayton, a longtime friend who met Larisa more than 20 years ago through the Bristol Fire Department, the outpouring of support reflects the kind of person Larisa has always been.

“Bobby’s just, he’s just a social bug,” Cayton said. “You can meet him in one minute, and then two hours later, you find yourself still just having a conversation with him.”

It’s that ability to connect with people, Cayton said, that has made Larisa a friend to so many.

Helping others

For Larisa, serving his community was something he learned long before putting on a firefighter’s uniform. His late stepfather, Steven Balasco, owner of Balasco’s Pizza, was known for his charitable endeavors and willingness to help others, whether through donations of time, resources or money.

According to Cayton, Larisa grew up surrounded by that same spirit of generosity, with his mother and stepfather always willing to lend a hand to those in need.

When the opportunity arose to join the Bristol Fire Department as a volunteer, Larisa took it. It was there, as a probationary firefighter more than two decades ago, that he and Cayton first crossed paths and quickly became friends.

Larisa would go on to serve as a career firefighter in Barrington and later as an EMT in Fall River, continuing a family tradition of giving back to the community. But Cayton said Larisa’s willingness to help has never been limited to his work in emergency services.

“He’ll take the shirt off his back for anybody,” Cayton said. Even if that person were a stranger he had only just met, Cayton said, Larisa would not hesitate to help.

A life-threatening diagnosis

In 2019, Larisa was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, potentially making it more difficult for the heart to pump blood effectively. He subsequently received a pacemaker to help manage his condition.

For years, Cayton said, Larisa appeared to be managing his heart problems. But after recently becoming ill, he sought medical attention, and doctors discovered that his condition had worsened.

Larisa was initially treated at Rhode Island Hospital, where doctors determined that he needed a heart transplant. He was then transferred to Tufts Medical Center in Boston, where he remains hospitalized awaiting a donor heart.

The diagnosis carries a family connection. According to Cayton, Larisa’s father also underwent a heart transplant after experiencing similar heart problems.

Cayton said Larisa is alert and responsive and is getting the rest he needs as he awaits surgery. But even after a donor heart becomes available, the road ahead will be long.

A heart transplant requires extensive recovery and ongoing medical care. Cayton said Larisa is expected to be unable to work for months as he recovers.

“It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be tough, but Bobby’s strong,” Cayton said. “He’s got a lot of support around him.”

A community steps forward

Beyond the emotional toll of Larisa’s condition, his hospitalization and anticipated recovery have created financial uncertainty for his family.

Larisa and his wife are raising four children, all of whom have busy schedules and extracurricular activities. Two of their sons play hockey, adding to the family’s expenses.

With Larisa unable to work and his family traveling to Boston to visit him, everyday expenses are becoming increasingly difficult to manage. To help ease that burden, Cayton and others close to Larisa have organized fundraising efforts to support the family.

Community members can make direct monetary donations to help cover groceries, transportation to the hospital, meals and other expenses during Larisa’s hospitalization and recovery. A benefit fundraiser will also be held Saturday, Nov. 7, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Hometown Tavern in Warren. QR codes accompanying this article can be used to make a donation or purchase tickets to the fundraiser.

More than the uniform

To those who know Larisa through his work as a firefighter or EMT, his years of service tell only part of his story. Behind the uniform is a husband, a father and a loyal friend who has spent his life building connections with the people around him.

When asked what he most wanted readers to understand about Larisa, Cayton said he hopes they recognize the person beyond his years of public service.

“Bobby’s more than what they’re gonna read here in this article,” Cayton said. “He’s someone who just means the world to everybody around him.”

For Cayton, the qualities that have defined their friendship for more than 20 years remain unchanged, even as Larisa faces an uncertain future.

“He’s kind, he’s strong,” Cayton said. “And just, he’s a great person beneath the service.”

After years of answering the call for others, Larisa is now surrounded by a community ready to answer his.