Morristown Native Beats Cancer, Named St. Patrick's Day Parade Grand Marshal

Dozens have been named to and held the position of Morris County St. Patrick’s Parade Grand Marshal.

But John Hyland may have the most incredible story of them all.

The Morristown native was named the 2015 Grand Marshal, but was hit with bone marrow cancer and was forced to step down to focus on his recovery. This came five years after beating acute Leukemia.

Hyland, now 48, has been named as the parade’s 2016 Grand Marshal.

Hyland, married with three children, follows in the footsteps of his mother, Kathleen Ginty Hyland, who led the 1998 parade. Hyland is co-founder and managing partner of Private Advisor Group and has previously won the Community Leadership Award for work with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Hyland organized Morristown’s Light the Night fundraising event, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Hyland has served as the Parade’s treasurer for more than a decade and was the finance chairman in 1999 and 2000.

“The Morris County St. Patrick’s Parade Trustees are proud and honored to have such a distinguished Irishman lead the St. Patrick’s Day parade down South Street in Morristown on Saturday March 12th, 2016,” Jeff Rawding, President of the Board, said in a statement.