St. Pat's Parade Grand Marshal Resigns Post After Leukemia Returns

The Morristown man tapped to lead one of New Jersey’s largest annual events has had to resign his post after being diagnosed with leukemia – again.

John Hyland, who beat acute Leukemia in 2010, was named the Grand Marshal of the 2015 St. Patrick’s Day Parade back in August. The parade committee announced Tuesday night that Hyland has resigned his post after recently being diagnosed with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia (CMML).

The treatment will require chemotherapy on an outpatient basis, followed by a recovery period and bone marrow transplant, the committee said.

Fortunately the disorder was caught in the early stages and Hyland’s doctors are optimistic he will have a full recovery. But that recovery will take place over the next several months, including March, when the parade strolls through the streets of Morristown.

The Parade Trustees are making a donation of $10,000 to the New Jersey Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as a tribute to Hyland. Hyland himself is credited with helping to raise more than $1 million for Leukemia research in recent years.

Hyland’s mother, Kathleen, served as the parade’s Grand Marshal in 1998. Hyland’s replacement has yet to be named. The parade attracts approximately 70,000 visitors to Morristown each year.

Pictured: John Hyland. Photo Courtesy St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee