By Billy Galvin
Over the years, I’ve seen some guys do some pretty tough stuff on the job. But all have come a distant second to what I witnessed from one of my closest friends this past year.
His name is Gomez and they don’t come any tougher than him. He is what I call a “utility fireman.” He can do it all. From making the first initial push to tagging the hydrant, he doesn’t care what his assignment is. He simply just wants to win. He’s not looking to be a hero and save the baby — even though he did last year at an apartment building fire. He simply loves doing his job and does it all to the best of his ability.
Last December he received some difficult news, the kind of news that no one wants to hear. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a common trend among firefighters today. When he received the news he didn’t freak out or feel sorry for himself. He simply did what he always does and attacked cancer like he was fighting a ripping house fire.
When the doctors told him he couldn’t work through his treatment, Gomez explained to everyone that the cancer would not kill him, but not working might. He made it clear that he would go through his six months of chemo and radiation the way he always does, with a line in one hand and axe in the other.
When his hair was falling out in clumps he walked in the locker room, took the clippers to his head and went out and fought a house fire.
When he was pissing out the red dye from his chemo therapy, he simply pulled up his man pants and went out and fought a house fire. He had the hot hand in the engine house for that entire winter, he couldn’t miss a fire.
Now there were days when he was too sick to work and on those days someone always stepped up to cover. But for the majority of the time he didn’t need coverage. He just kept moving, attacking each day like a pipeman.
I know there’s no way I could’ve done what I witnessed him doing. The amount of dedication that took was inspiring to me. Gomez was fighting house fires while fighting cancer. It doesn’t get much tougher than that.
Gomez’s fight is still going on today, but he’s almost done and can’t wait to hear the words, “cancer free.” And, believe me, we can’t either.
He’s an inspiration to all of us and his story needs to be shared. They don’t come any tougher than him.
