Firefighter Tony Zee joined the Pasadena Fire Department at a crucial point in his life. He had spent the last four years trying to get a job as a firefighter and was on the verge of giving up, until he received a letter.
Zee’s dream of becoming a firefighter began when he was a student at Cal State LA when he learned about a program for fire administration and technology from friends he lived with in the dorms.
“I was fortunate enough to meet the right people and took an interest in it,” Zee said. “This is my calling, and this is what I want to do.”
Zee joined the Pasadena Fire Department in 2004, but within the first six months of his career he began experiencing pain in his back. He visited his doctor and returned to work on pain medication. After his symptoms continued to worsen, Zee saw an oncologist and was diagnosed with stage 4 bone cancer.