Relief for Fireman, Alex Lopez and family

(La traducción al español está abajo y imágenes a continuación)

(Pictures and translation in Spanish below)

My name is Ryan, and Alex is my best friend of 37 years. This is very hard to write, so please bear with me as I try to put this tragedy into perspective. Alex's family needs your help as they have exhausted all of their cash, credit, and savings to pay for Alex's cancer treatment over the past 18 months. Our goal is to help his family keep their home and be able to pay their taxes, bills and medical insurance so that Alex can remain at home with his family and in treatment. The need for medical insurance is equally important to Alex's son Ben who has Cystic Fibrosis. The daily treatments and medications for CF are extremely costly and they would not be able to afford them without medical insurance.

Alex was the American dream. He immigrated here and worked tirelessly to give his family every opportunity he didn't have growing up. Alex loved the United States so much that he wanted to give back to the community by becoming a fireman. During his 21 years as a Fireman/EMT he was well known for his care and prayers over his patients. Not only did Alex provide for his own family, but he also provided for many other families by providing them jobs in his construction company. He continuously paid it forward and always put other people's needs before his own. Alex is a happy and loving soul and gave everything to help anyone he saw in need.

The hardest part about cancer for Alex has not been the thought of death, but the fact that he can no longer provide for his family. After 26 rounds of chemo he has not been able to work in over 18 months. The Lopez family needs the help of those around them to help pay daily bills and for medical insurance for Alex. These contributions will help relieve some of the financial stress and burden for the family and provide Jamie, Eliana and Ben time to focus on Alex while he fights his battle with cancer.

Ayuda para el bombero Alex Lopez y su familia

Mi nombre es Ryan, y Alex es mi mejor amigo de 37 años. Esto es muy difícil para mí escribir así que, gracias por tu paciencia en entender esta perspectiva de esta tragedia. La familia de Alex necesita tu ayuda financiera porque han usado todo el crédito y ahorros para pagar los tratamientos de cáncer de Alex en los últimos 18 meses. Nuestro reto es ayudar a su familia a no perder la casa y pagar los impuestos, cuentas, y seguro médico para que Alex pueda seguir en su casa con su familia y completar su tratamiento. La necesidad también es para su hijo Ben que sufre de Fibrosis Cysistico. Están muy caros los tratamientos y la medicina para Ben y no lo pueden pagar sin seguro médico.

Alex vino a los Estados Unidos con las esperanzas de sacar a su familia adelante. Alex ha trabajado sin parar para dar a su familia las oportunidades que él no tuvo. Alex amo tanto a su país los Estado Unidos que quiso hacer algo para la comunidad y su país por eso decidió estudiar y entrenar para ser paramedico y bombero. Durante su tiempo de paramédico y bombero él siempre oraba y cuidaba de sus pacientes. También, les daba a sus pacientes trabajo en su compañía de construcción. Siempre se preocupaba por otros y ha puesto las necesidades de los demás antes de los de él y su familia. Alex es una persona feliz, amable y siempre ha dado a los que están en necesidad.

Lo más difícil del cáncer para él no ha sido la muerte, sino poder trabajar y proveer para su familia. Después de 26 rondas de tratamientos no ha podido trabajar en los últimos 18 meses. La familia Lopez necesita la ayuda financiera de todos los que los rodean para ayudar a pagar el seguro médico de Alex y las cuentas diarias de su casa. Estas contribuciones ayudarán tremendamente a Jamie, Eliana y Ben y les dará tiempo para enfocar en Alex y apoyarlo en su batalla contra el cáncer.

Photo 1: May 21, 2021: His daughter graduated high school. During this time, he became increasingly worried due to the constant acid reflux and digestive issues, which would lead to his discovery of cancer.

Photo 2: September 23, 2022: Alex's first trip to the ER for dehydration and sleep exhaustion. His esophagus to stomach passage was closed entirely about a week before this, and no doctor will risk trying to surgically install a stent.

Photo 3: October 1, 2022: Alex still has his sense of humor. I was telling Alex about the Go Fund Me I was starting and he asked what he had to do, so I told him just look pathetic. He didn't move and just responded, "That should be easy. How does this look?"

Photo 4: October 4, 2022: His feeding tube got knocked out from vomitting/gag reflux in his sleep. Luckily Jamie heard him and got him to the hospital.

Photo 5: January 28, 2022: after multiple rounds of ineffective chemotherapy, the side effects could no longer be ignored, and after the loss of feeling in his feet and fingers, the doctor finally stopped chemotherapy.