Wayne 30-Year Firefighter Battling Stage 4 Cancer

WAYNE, N.J. — A long-time township firefighter is battling something bigger than any fire he has ever faced: Cancer.

Vinnie Caropreso is a 30-year volunteer with P.O.L. Fire Company 2. He was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a form of oral cancer, in November 2016. The cancer is at stage four and he has a tumor in his jaw.

Kristen Mayor Squier, a friend of Caropreso's wife Maureen, set up a Go Fund Me campaign for the family. Squier is trying to raise $15,000 for the family. The money will be used to help support the family as Caropreso recovers from the 15-hour surgery and ongoing chemotherapy treatments he is scheduled to have. He is the family's primary financial supporter.

"Medical insurance doesn't cover all of the scans, treatments and surgery and unemployment in no where near what a family of 4 needs to survive," Squier said on the Go Fund Me page. "Maureen works part time at Pequannock Valley Middle School and will also have to take time off to care for him during his recovery."

Caropreso underwent three rounds of chemotherapy. Each 96-hour long round forced Caropreso to take weeks off of work. The surgery was scheduled for Wednesday, but it had to be postponed because of an infection in Caropreso's leg.

Caropreso and his wife have two children: Dominic and Joseph. The family's dog Hoover is also battling cancer.

"No amount is too small," Squier said. "I am asking all family, friends and colleagues to please help them during their time in need."

Send local news tips, photos, and press releases to daniel.hubbard@patch.com. Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here.

Photo courtesy of Go Fund Me