SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio's fire chief stopped in to visit two of the city’s finest who are dealing with terminal illnesses.

Chief Charles Hood posed with Brad Hauer, who is battling a rare autoimmune disease known as Stiff Person Syndrome; and Max Weltens, who was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in early 2017.

SPS is a rare disorder that affects the central nervous system, causing extreme muscle spasms and nerve pain. In turn, it disrupts daily life from "routine" simple task to major movements such as walking and the ability to drive.

Esophageal cancer is more common among men than among women. The lifetime risk of esophageal cancer in the United States is about 1 in 132 in men and about 1 in 455 in women. According to the American Cancer Society, about 20 percent of patients survive at least 5 years after diagnosis. This number includes patients with all stages.

Hauer has been a part of the fire department for 12 years; and Weltens served for 21 years.

If you wish to check in on either/contribute by helping their families with medical expenses, Hauer’s GoFundMe* can be accessed here; Weltens, here.  

*These Gofundme.com sites are not managed by Spectrum News. For more information on how the site works and the rules, visit gofundme.com/safety.