GREENFIELD, Ind. — A community is rallying around a firefighter who has risked his life for years as he waits for a life-changing kidney transplant.
FOX59 reported that Lt. Shawn Booker, 42, of the Greenfield (Ind.) Fire Department was diagnosed with Goodpasture Syndrome, an autoimmune disorder that mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue, at the age of 22.
“I was just sitting in my dorm typing up a paper and I just felt like I was swollen,” Lt. Booker said.
When he went in for a check-up, the doctor told him his kidneys were failing.
“I was scared, because I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Lt. Booker said.
Lt. Booker began dialysis at 27 and received his first kidney transplant. However, organ transplants usually last about six years, according to the report. His lasted 16.
“My first transplant allowed me to get on the fire department,” he said. “I’ve delivered a baby. I’ve pulled someone out of a fire, numerous car wrecks — none of that would have been possible.”
Now, he is on dialysis again three times a week and is back on the transplant list, according to the report.
“You can only bring in so much fluid on dialysis,” he said. “So not taking in too little (fluid), where I’m too weak to fight fires, not taking in too much when dialysis is a problem.”
His fellow firefighters, and even strangers, held a benefit ride for Lt. Booker and raised $12,000 to help pay for his medical expenses, according to the report.
“It’s hard to see anybody go through that, but it’s especially hard, you know, when a good friend, a good co-worker goes through something like that,” said Deputy Chief Jason Horning.
Booker says the support was something he never expected and will not forget.
“I’m just a Joe Schmo firefighter,” said Lt. Booker. “It overwhelmed me, you know, with all this support.”