CAVENDISH, Vt. – Residents of Proctorsville, Cavendish, Ludlow, and Chester are coming together in support of a true hero; a former municipal and town Manager, and the recently appointed second lieutenant of the Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD), Brendan McNamara.
A well-respected fixture in this area for many years, McNamara is a devoted husband and father, community member, and friend. Known as someone who is always there for a neighbor in need, McNamara has dedicated much of his life to serving others through coaching, umpiring, and volunteering with the PVFD.
Now, McNamara finds himself on the receiving end of a massive outpouring of love and support coming from the communities he has served. After McNamara received a diagnosis of urachal adenocarcinoma, an extremely rare form of bladder cancer, a GoFundMe campaign was started by friends: PVFD firefighter Lisa Marks, PVFD Fire Chief Robert Glidden, and Denise Reilly-Hughes.
McNamara served as Ludlow’s Municipal Manager for two and a half years before stepping down in December 2025. At that time, McNamara told the Ludlow Selectboard that his resignation was more about “self-reflection and career change, [and] nothing to do with the Town and Village of Ludlow, which I do, and still do, care very deeply about.” McNamara joined the team at William Raveis Vermont Properties as a real estate agent soon after.
In July 2023, McNamara led the Town of Ludlow as it rebuilt after catastrophic flooding took out roads, bridges, homes, and businesses. McNamara’s efforts in organizing recovery assistance and support for flood victims were recognized and praised during the weeks and months following, and still, many Ludlow business owners and homeowners feel grateful for McNamara’s steady leadership.
“How to sum up Brendan McNamara…,” reads the GoFundMe page, “generous, giving, kind…he would literally give you the shirt off his back. He’s a devoted family man, loyal friend, and funny. Brendan makes everyone laugh. To know Brendan is to love him.”
Glidden began his tenure as PVFD fire chief on July 1, succeeding his father’s 33-year legacy. On his first day as chief, Glidden promoted several members of the department, including McNamara, stating, “Each of the following individuals are highly dedicated members of [PVFD], with extensive training and experience in the fire service.”
When asked about learning of McNamara’s diagnosis, Glidden shared, “It [was] definitely not how I expected my first week as fire chief to go. I have known Brendan and his family my whole life, so this affects me [in] a couple ways, as his friend and also as his fire chief.”
Marks shared some welcome news in an update on the GoFundMe site posted July 8. McNamara’s PET scan had come back completely clear, meaning no areas of concern outside the tumor, and surgery to remove the tumor was scheduled for July 20 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Marks wrote, “Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the love and support and beautiful words of encouragement for Brendan, Miranda, Brogan, and Maryn. They are heard, felt, and so appreciated.”
If you would like to give, visit www.gofundme.com/f/support-brendan-mcnamaras-cancer-journey; mail a check to Brendan and Miranda McNamara at P.O. Box, 144 Cavendish, VT 05142; or drop off your donation at the Proctorsville Volunteer Fire Department on Tuesday nights.