Fundraiser planned for Malverne, Lindenhurst volunteer firefighter with cancer
Brian Saphire believes he was put on this Earth to help people.
A volunteer firefighter in Lindenhurst and Malverne since he was a teenager, Saphire worked round-the-clock helping his neighbors recover in the wake of Superstorm Sandy and developed a reputation for helping disabled motorists in need of assistance.
But after devoting his life to providing aid to others, Saphire, 33, of Malverne, is now in need of help after being diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer that has left him unable to work.
"There's positives in life and there's negatives in life," Saphire said. "I got hit with a negative right now but there's so many positives out there. So many reasons to strive to beat this cancer."
The Lindenhurst native has faced years of difficult hardships.
Saphire lost his job as a stagehand in the entertainment industry when the pandemic struck, forcing him, his wife, Bridget, and his 9-month-old daughter, Bailey Grace, to move in with his mother-in-law in Malverne, where he joined the volunteer fire department. To earn extra money, Saphire started shoveling snow last winter.
Last spring, with virus cases beginning to wane, Saphire went back to work. But the next challenge was around the corner.
In October he began experiencing intense migraines, blurry vision, dizziness and temporary hearing loss. Saphire was rushed to Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside where doctors discovered a rare tumor in the pineal region of his brain. Roughly 81 Americans every year are diagnosed with glioblastoma in that location, he said.
During emergency surgery, doctors drained 200 milliliters of spinal fluid from his brain. Two weeks later, a second surgery to remove 98% of the cancer; the remaining 2% was too close to brain tissue to be removed safely.
Saphire takes chemotherapy pills daily and endures radiation five days each week in an effort to freeze, and ultimately neutralize, the remaining cancer.
"I was chosen to be put up to this fight," Saphire said. "I am in the battle and in the fight. It was meant to be like this. I am not a weak person. I am a tough, strong individual. I know what needs to be done. I come from a family of six siblings. I just think I have the right mentality and the strongest willpower and fight to beat this."
But damage from the cancer has already been done.
Saphire lost part of his vision in his left eye, is often unsteady on his feet and his energy level is low, preventing him from returning to work.
Members of the Malverne Fire Department drive Brian to doctor's appointments and have provided dozens of meals for his family. They are also organizing a fundraiser with Union Hook and Ladder in Lindenhurst on Jan. 29. The $20-per-person event, at the Fireman's Pavillion in Lindenhurst, will provide help for Saphire's medical expenses, food and housing.
"He's been the go-to guy since he got here," said Ernest Bohringer, chief of the Malverne Fire Department. "Willing to jump right in and help out wherever needed. Any time anyone else needed help he was there for them. And now it’s our turn to pay it forward."
Brian's younger sister, Meghan Saphire, also started a GoFundMe page to raise money for her older brother.
"Brian is truly the most selfless person I know," she wrote on the page. "After Sandy hit in 2012, Brian woke up after a night of helping put out fires on flooded streets to make soup and chili for families displaced from their homes. This wasn’t an event set up by any organization, but something he did with his own money and on his own accord. This is one of dozens of stories that show just how much he prioritizes serving others in his community."
Saphire said he is looking at life differently since his diagnosis, focusing on the positives and appreciating every moment with his family and friends.
"I was put on this Earth to help people. That's just how I feel," he said. "I never ask for help ever. All these people stepping up and stepping in, raising money so we can pay bills is something really new to me. I am really grateful and thankful for all that. But it's not something I am used to. I am usually the guy giving a hand and stepping up."
With Cecilia Dowd
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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