Veteran Firefighter's Cancer Battle

0:00Dennis Hegel, a 70-year-old Army veteran and retired firefighter from Palm Harbor, Florida, got hit with a tub diagnosis of advanced liver, cancer on April 13, 2026. After 27 years serving as a firefighter in EMT with East Lake Fire Rescue, retiring as District Chief back in 2009, he started, feeling off with weight loss, belly fluid build up, and trouble eating. A routine VA visit turned into an ER trip that confirmed the news. His daughter Mary grew up hanging around Station 57 where he worked, and she says the whole thing flipped their world upside down. At 70, Dennis admits it took time to process, feeling numb at first. The VA called it palliative care only, spotting a 15 centimeter tumor on his liver, with no cure in sight. Families reeling from this, Dennis and his wife have been married 40 years, meeting way back in first grade. Mary's been overwhelmed by the love pouring in from folks whose lives her dad touched over decades on the job. They're pushing for a

1:01second opinion next month and Moffitt Cancer Center to explore every angle. Meanwhile, a GoFundMe's pulling in support for medical bills and home care, showing how deep his impact runs in the community. Stories like Dennis' remind us how heroes like him, keep giving, even now facing their biggest fights day, strong out there. That wraps Tampa Bay news, today brought to you with AI.