RADFORD, Va. – A devastating diagnosis for a hometown hero.
“It’s going, it’s a long road. There are good days and there are bad,” Compton said.
Jemery Compton is a Christiansburg and Radford firefighter and EMT who has been fighting cancer for three years. Saturday morning his colleagues in Radford hosted a benefit breakfast and raffle drawing.
“To help with medical bills for my cancer treatment. It’s overwhelming, but it’s good overwhelming. I’m very blessed to have the support. I don’t want to seem ungrateful, or unthankful, but it’s awesome. I’m very happy. It’s awesome to see this big of a turnout,” Compton said.
His positivity is inspiring others.
“It’s definitely been hard not having him working with us on shift, but we know he’s in the fight of his life right now. He still stops by every once in a while and he’s always in a great mood, great spirits,” Connor Moran, Radford Firefighter Advanced EMT said.
From selling t-shirts to shaving heads and the benefit breakfast, the community is working to help Compton get back to what he loves.
“I miss it, I miss it a lot. I’m ready to come back to work, to get back to volunteering with Christiansburg, so yeah, I’m ready to come back,” Compton said.
A full room all in support of Jeremy Compton and his road to recovery.
“That’s all I can say is thank you. No matter what you are going through, don’t give up. Have the mentality of I’ll quit tomorrow, and when tomorrow gets here, just keep having that mentality. I’m not quitting today, I’ll quit tomorrow and just stay as positive as you can,” Compton said.