In 2009, when I was 35, I moved to Boise, Idaho to start a new life. New house, new
car, continuing my long career as a firefighter…everything was pretty much perfect in my new life. Then I got a sore throat and cough that just wouldn’t go away. After three months, with my lymph nodes still swollen, my friends and family finally convinced me to see a doctor. Eventually a CAT scan led to a biopsy which led to the phone call I got while shopping for golf clubs. I never got the clubs, because I ended up crying in my car in the parking lot for an hour. I had to tell my parents that I had cancer, and I had no idea what was going to happen next.
My pretty much perfect life took a turn that truly challenged my body and my mind. I was soon officially diagnosed with Nodular Sclerosis Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in my neck, jaw and chest. I endured surgeries, a port implanted into my chest, a tube inserted into my heart, 3 months of chemo and a month of radiation.
Through it all, no matter how sick and lethargic I was, I kept working as a firefighter on the Rescue Squad. My co-workers were there for me and being able to be out there, helping others, was my outlet from the stress, pain and fear. A month after treatment, I was finally able to run on the treadmill and feel like myself. But then I felt a slight tingle and loss of sensation in my back. I knew something wasn’t right and hoped maybe I had pinched a nerve or slipped a disk since I had gained so much weight during treatment. But an MRI led to a neurologist discovering a tumor in my spinal cord. They told me it was likely not cancerous, but it needed to be removed by emergency surgery. Back under the knife I went, resulting in 27 staples in my back and the most extreme pain I’ve ever experienced. And that pain was joined by complete shock when the labs on my tumor came back as cancerous. A completely different kind of cancer. The only good news was that the surgery was so successful in removing the tumor that I wouldn’t need chemo or radiation.
Two cancers in one year. And for me, only one way forward. Getting back to work and getting back to my life.
It took a long time to get back to feeling healthy enough to challenge my body like I always had. And in 2018, when I heard about a bunch of firefighters running up a skyscraper on air to help raise money for blood cancers, I knew I had to do it. That first year I thought I was in shape. I soon found that not to be so true. But once I started climbing…once I heard the cheers and saw the men and women from all walks of life coming together to fight cancer…I kept going up and up. And when I crossed that finish line on the top floor…it was just pure joy and elation and appreciation for being alive. I’ll never get that first time feeling back again, but I’ll also never forget it.
The next year I came back to Seattle and managed to get food poisoning just before the climb. I don’t recommend it. But I beat my previous time and I was once again amazed by the mental and physical toughness this event brings out in all of us. What we do for a living is help people. Oftentimes people we’ve never met and know nothing about. That’s why all of us in the fire service climbing for LLS is such a perfect connection. The money we raise…and the hope we build…will help countless people we’ll never meet. Those are people just like me.
In 2019, 10 years after that sore throat, I was cleared from all my doctors and checkups and bloodwork and officially declared cancer free.
I’m now living that new, amazing life, living every single day to the fullest. Getting to spend time with my new wife. And working every day with my brothers and sisters of the fire service who helped me get to where I am today. My goal is to make it up those steps in 20 minutes or less this morning. But no matter how long it takes, when I get to the top, I’ll know I’m lucky to be able to enjoy the view. Thank you for climbing with me. Thank you for helping save lives like mine.
One of my most cherished events is the Firefighter Staircase climb. The training consisted of 4 months of strength training 2x a week, 2 x a week climbing stairs wearing firefighting gear at our local 22 story building. I would do roughly 70-100 floors each time on training nights. Sometimes I would breath air off my SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) and sometimes I would just wear the gear which is also strength training. With all my gear on, it adds 60 pounds to my 220 pound frame. Once a week my wife would join me climbing stairs and cheered me on as we passed each other. She has truly been so supportive, I couldn’t have done it with out her.
The Firefighter Stairclimb raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
I was picked as one of the Honorees for this years climb. As a 2x cancer survivor, I still am humbled and honored I was asked to be.
On race day, I stood in front of over 1000 firefighters from 3 countries telling my story of cancer survival and why we are there climbing stairs. It was very emotional for me that day!! I lost my mother unexpectedly in Jan and was hoping I would be able to tell her about my day.
We climb the Columbia Tower in Seattle, Wa wearing full firefighting gear and breathing off our SCBA. The climb is 69 Floors, 1,356 steps and gain 788ft elevation. My previous time was 21 mins flat, so this year I was shooting for 20 minutes or under. I was so emotional and pumped for the climb. When it was my time, I took off faster than I had wanted to. Talked myself in slowing down a bit, gathering myself and controlling my breathing. I had time checks I wanted to hit at 23 floors, 46 floors and then the final 69th floor. When I got to the 23rd floor I looked at my watch and was a little fast and then all of a sudden I realized I am off on time as we start on the 5th floor. I though to myself, F&*K I am not going to beat my time. So I picked up the pace a and put my head down. I got to the 46th floor and was close to my time check, but had to pause to catch my breath. Its not easy breathing with the tank on. Picked up the pace a little more and around the 58th floor I had to pause as my HR was through the roof.
I took off again and got the 62nd floor and saw the sign for 7 floors to go and I put my head down and pushed hard. I honestly don’t remember the last few flights of stairs as I was lacking oxygen!! I crossed the line and stopped my watch as the volunteers rushed over to take my gear off. I barely remember seeing my wife at the top waiting for me. The volunteers walked me over to the chairs to sit and recovery. I can’t tell you how happy I was that was over. I was hurting, could barely catch my breath, felt light headed. I was grabbing some water when I finally decided to look at my watch to check my time. My watch read, 17:19!!. I looked at my wife, said holy fuck I did it and then cried for a minute. So happy I accomplished my goal, but so saddened that I couldn’t call my mother and celebrate with her. Hearing her tell me how proud of me she is.
To this day its hard to talk about my mom without tearing up.