Firefighters sacrifice every day, putting their lives on the line. It’s a selfless job and not everyone can do it. Now one firefighter is the one who needs help, reports abc15.com.
“For me to show weakness and to have to ask for help is an incredibly humbling experience.”
For the past 18 years, Jairus ‘Matt’ Pierce, a shift commander at the Gila River Fire Department, has been running to danger to fight fires and save lives.
But now he’s battling something much different, though just as dangerous.
“It’s a struggle every day to find the motivation to keep pushing,” he said about the chronic kidney disease he suffers from. “I’m constantly tired, a lot of fatigue.”
Pierce’s kidney function is at just 17 percent. If it goes down to around 12 percent, he’ll be forced to go on dialysis, which would put his career in jeopardy.
