Fire and Ice

For twins Steve ’12 and Don ’12 Hopkins, the firefighter commitment to community is as strong as their brotherly bond.

“The twins”, as they’re affectionately called by family and friends, always knew they wanted to live on campus and have the college experience — and they were fortunate enough to do this at Bentley, right in their hometown. Three-sport high school athletes — playing football, hockey and baseball for the Waltham Hawks — they wanted to play a sport at the collegiate level as well, and that’s what led them to becoming Falcons.

“Playing hockey was our focus but that changed when we met Coach Yetten,” recounted Steve. “Through his guidance and the financial support that we received, attending Bentley was the best choice for us,” added Don.

The Falcon football co-captains further ingrained themselves in the Waltham community, holding multiple jobs during their undergraduate career at staple businesses throughout the city. Between classes, you could find the brothers working at Shopper’s Café on Moody Street or the True Value hardware store on Lexington Street, on top of internships that landed them both jobs in corporate roles upon graduation.

Their journey to becoming firefighters commenced when they took the civil service exam during their senior year on Spring Day, of all days. While their friends and classmates got an early start celebrating one of Bentley’s most beloved traditions, Steve and Don were seizing an opportunity that would pay off two years later, when they were hired by the City of Waltham — a huge feat, as positions decided by civil service test scores are extremely competitive.

Today, the pair are posted at the Moody Street Station on Squad 5. The two work sister shifts — when Firefighter Steve Hopkins finishes his shift, Lieutenant Don Hopkins starts his. The fire station is situated on one of Waltham’s busiest streets. With bustling foot traffic, there are always passersby who want to see the station, originally built in 1860 and renovated in 2021.

“We have an incredible relationship with the community and the colleges in the city,” says Don, an Information Systems Audit and Control major. From welcoming in parents and their children who want to see the trucks up close to dogs and their owners stopping by for a treat, the station’s doors are always open to all. Steve adds, “It’s good to get people talking to us and seeing us in and out of uniform, with or without gear. We’re good people doing our best to help.”

Although football brought the brothers to Bentley in 2008, hockey has remained at the center of their lives, fusing together the things that they hold close: community, giving back and helping others.

From the Battle of the Badges, a hockey game at the Bentley Arena that pits Waltham’s Police and Fire Departments against each other for charity, to the Heroes Cup, a hockey tournament that allows first responders and military personnel to fundraise for a charity of their choice, the brothers have grown creative about raising money through events, experiences and more.

In the last five years, the duo has focused on One Mission, a pediatric cancer nonprofit, and have been at the top of the fundraising leader boards since 2018. They’ve raised over $200,000 to support holiday celebrations, art and music therapy, hospital parking and more.

Steve and Don, both fathers, have seen firsthand how One Mission helps children and families on the sixth floor at Boston Children’s Hospital, where the One Mission resource room is located. “We try and maximize how many people we help and how much money we raise,” says Steve, a Managerial Economics major. “We want to do as much good as we can.”

Fellow first responders, city officials, local businesses, Waltham residents and more have aided in One Mission’s fundraising success. “It’s all due to the generosity from this city that’s been instrumental,” explains Don. “We wouldn’t raise a dollar without the help from the community.”

The brothers are both extremely humble about the help they give to others. They consider all the good they’re doing as an extension of their jobs and what being a firefighter is all about. “Your shift is never over,” states Don. “Even when you’re not working, you’re still a firefighter when you’re off duty.”

As is life, their jobs are filled with ups and downs. No matter what, they focus on being the best versions of themselves for the community they serve and doing things that mean something to others in the hopes that they can pass on their positivity and pay kindness forward. “Be good to other people and the community, that’s what we try to do every day,” says Steve. “Just be a good person.”