Published: March 4, 2015
FDNY Firefighter Meets Recipient of His Life-Saving Bone Marrow Donation
Firefighter Michael McCauley meets the recipient of his bone marrow, U.S. Marine veteran Aaron Faulkner.Gallery
FDNY Firefighter Michael McCauley, Engine 242, donated bone marrow in October 2013, saving the life of Aaron Faulkner, a veteran U.S. Marine Sergeant from Pittsburgh, Pa.
On March 4, the pair met for the first time at the FDNY and New York Blood Center (NYBC)’s 11th annual Honor Roll of Life ceremony at FDNY Headquarters.
“Without Michael I had no hope of seeing my children grow up - to ride their bikes, their high school graduation,” Mr. Faulkner said. “I now have the hope of someday meeting my grandchildren, all because someone took a swab [to register to be a donor]. It’s such a simple thing that means so much.”
Mr. Faulker, 33, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, in March 2013 while pursuing a degree in Christian Ministries and awaiting the birth of his second child. His treatment required chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.
Without a family match, Mr. Faulkner was placed in the Be The Match Registry. Quickly, he was matched with Firefighter McCauley, who joined the registry while in Probationary Firefighter School in April 2013.
Firefighter McCauley donated peripheral blood stem cells in October 2013, and Mr. Faulkner received the cells the same month.
“I just want to help people any way I can, whether it’s through work or some other means, it doesn’t matter,” Firefighter McCauley said. “Donating is so easy.”
Mr. Faulkner’s wife, Leslie, told their two children they were traveling to New York to “meet daddy’s hero.” She noted, “It’s a blessing to meet Michael, he saved my family.”
During the ceremony, eight names were added to the Honor Roll of Life, a list including 171 names of FDNY members who have donated bone marrow and stem cells to people from around the world - some more than once.
“Through this partnership with the NYBC, our members are able to save lives in New York City and well beyond our borders,” Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said.
In the last 20 years, the FDNY has been the single largest group on NYBC’s bone marrow registry, with more than 8,000 FDNY members on the potential donor list.
“This is a big family and we’re saving lives together,” President and CEO of the NYBC Dr. Christopher Hillyer said. “It’s an honor for us to partner with the FDNY.”
Chairman of the NYBC’s Board of Trustees Howard Milstein added, “Firefighters never fail to answer the call to save lives. And this is an emotional reminder that it’s vital to sign up as a bone marrow donor.”
For the second year in a row, the members of Engine 168/EMS Station 23 on Staten Island won the Commissioner’s Cup, collecting the most blood donations in the last year. Division 8, also on Staten Island, also won.
For a list of NYBC blood drives and donor center locations in NY and NJ, please visit www.nybloodcenter.org and click on the “Locate a Blood Drive” link or call 1-800-933-2566.
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