9/11 Firefighter Needs A Hero Of His Own

Roy was on duty the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, and he heard the first plane hit the World Trade Center from his firehouse. Soon he was one of the firefighters racing up the stairways of the World Trade Center buildings. His team made it up to the 30th floor when they were forced to turn and start back down again. Six men from Roy’s firehouse were killed that morning, but Roy made it out alive.

Four years later
Four years later, Roy faced a different kind of challenge. He was diagnosed with a blood cancer called multiple myeloma. Chemotherapy treatments put his disease into remission for a while, but in 2008, it returned. He learned he would need a marrow transplant. His search for a donor began.

That’s when Roy, a man who was used to helping others, needed to ask for help for himself. As a firefighter, he had always been the one working to save lives. But now he needed someone else ready to save his life – by donating marrow. It was a tough change.

Firefighters support Be The Match Registry
Roy had no donor match in his family or on the Be The Match Registry. True to form, his fellow firefighters have come together to help.

Firefighters and other first responders have long been committed to the Be The Match Registry. Many firehouses invite new firefighters to join the registry and hold marrow registry drives to encourage members of the public to join the registry, too.

Still waiting for a match
There's more than one way to be someone's hero, Roy says. He thanks everyone who has already joined Be The Match Registry. But he’s still waiting for a matching donor. You can help spread the word: tell your friends and family to join Be The Match Registry. One of them could be the hero Roy -- or another patient -- is looking for.

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I know that many of you joined when Logan was diagnosed, but if not please consider joining now or helping to spread the word. Thanks so much, friends.