Fire Dispatcher Beating Brain Tumor With Community's Support

A pair of fundraising events in December will wrap up efforts by friends of Evan Holtz, a Bridgewater dispatcher and volunteer fire and rescue squad member who was diagnosed and treated for a brain tumor earlier this year.

The Evan Holtz Recovery Fund Facebook page announced the fundraisers last week, and noted the page will be closing down. The page was launched by Holtz's friends and reported on his progress following the diagnosis—through his surgery and subsequent recovery—as well as their efforts to help defray his medical expenses.

The group says fundraising to date has topped $25,000—but more can be done.

On Dec. 7, the Smokehouse BBQ, in Somerville, will help contribute to fund by donating 15 percent of the dinner sales (orders placed after 5 p.m.), then on Dec. 14, Basking Ridge Firefighter Nicholas Cianciara will run three miles in all of his fire gear to help support the fundraising. Cianciara hopes to raise $2,500 or more through sponsors—which anyone can become by pledging on his GoFundMe page for Holtz. 

Holtz, a dispatcher for Country Hills Volunteer Fire Co., as well as a volunteer emergency medical technician for Branchburg Rescue Squad, and a paid EMT for the Clinton Rescue Squad and Somerset Medical Center, continues to recover from his surgery in July. 

Holtz' fellow dispatcher Jo-Ann Dunlop told NJ.com that he is making progress in his recuperation.

"Evan is doing great," she said. "He gained all of his independence back — he can drive now, eat almost anything he wants — he practices everything he learned in occupational therapy and has really come a long way."