By Amisha Padnani
Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The building was going to come down at any moment.
Roy Chelsen knew this as he and his fellow firefighters inched along the lobby wall of the World Trade Center’s Tower 1, trying to decide what to do.
Chelsen’s lieutenant thought they should stay where they were. But Chelsen, known for following his instincts, said he wasn’t going to chance it. They got out of there, and seconds later, the building started to collapse.
Chelsen ran up West Street, surrounded by a dust cloud from the debris. He didn’t know where he was but he kept running anyway. Then someone handed him a mask to cover his mouth and nose and pulled him away.
He had so much trouble breathing that day he knew Sept. 11 would take a toll on his body. In late 2005, he was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer called multiple myeloma.
It’s been a rough battle for the Dongan Hills native, one of thousands of rescue workers who said they have suffered from illnesses as a result of 9/11. A class action lawsuit involving more than 9,000 plaintiffs is pending in federal court.
Chelsen, 48, recently learned that he needs a second stem cell transplant.
“It hasn’t been easy,” said his sister, Joan Chelsen. “I happened to be there the day he got the news. My brother’s a big guy, he just has this presence about him that makes him seem larger than life. And to see him sitting on the kitchen table with his head in his arms and his shoulders shaking because he was sobbing, it was just hard.”
Friends and family members said they are organizing a blood and bone marrow drive in the coming months with the hope of finding a match. They’ve also sought the help of public officials, including City Councilman James Oddo, who is helping to secure funding for the drive.
“Anything like that, it immediately pulls certain heartstrings,” said Oddo (R-Mid-Island/ Brooklyn), adding that he has friends and relatives who are firefighters. “These guys put their rear ends on the line for this city and they didn’t ask any questions. We need to be just as dedicated to them as they were to us.”
After Chelsen was diagnosed, he was treated with several different regimens. He received chemotherapy, and doctors were able to transplant his own stem cells back into his body. In April 2007, his family was thrilled to learn that his cancer was in remission.
From that point on, the normally boisterous, fun-loving Chelsen solemnly concentrated on recovering. Relatives said he started regaining the 50 pounds he lost, and his hair started growing back. Slowly, he became more active, spending time with relatives and playing golf and softball.
But even though he was healing, he wasn’t strong enough to continue his job and had to retire from the FDNY on disability. It was one of the toughest things he had to do, after working with Ladder Co. 28 on the Lower East Side for nearly 20 years.
“It was like his second family. It was his life,” said his wife, Trish Chelsen. “He really dedicated a lot of time and effort to it.”
She said Chelsen never dreamed years ago of becoming a firefighter but decided to take the test one day with some of his friends. When he got the offer, he knew it was the best move he ever made.
On 9/11, Chelsen’s shift had already ended, but he was covering for a friend when the alarms sounded.
He was in the staircase of the 30th floor of Tower 1 when the first building collapsed. The floor shook and an eerie wind rushed up the stairs. As soon as it subsided, his company ran down, rescuing people along the way. He later learned he was among the last few people to get out alive.
Chelsen returned to Ground Zero for several weeks to help in the rescue effort.
About two weeks ago, he was given the news that his cancer had returned and that he has nodules on his lungs. He would need another stem cell transplant.
It was difficult news to absorb; recovering from the first transplant was physically and emotionally draining. But Chelsen said the support he is receiving from family and friends is helping him cope.
“Roy is a very strong and very determined man,” his wife said. “During 9/11, he lost so many friends. He lost his mom to cancer. Now he has cancer. But he’s still pushing. Not many people who go through that in such a short amount of time can do that.”
Family members said his ability to keep going has inspired them to help others. In 2006, they worked with the New York Blood Center to organize blood drives on Staten Island, Manhattan and in Warwick, N.Y. where Chelsen now lives and collected 200 pints of blood.
The next blood drive is slated for Sept. 20 at the Zion Lutheran Church, 505 Watchogue Rd., Willowbrook. Anyone interested in learning more can e-mail mstrish@optonline.net
Copyright 2008 Advance Publications, Inc.
All Rights Reserved