From Paramedic to patient; emergency room colleagues raise 50k in support

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Matthew McGuire and his wife, Nicole, have made it their mission to help others.

Nicole is a social work care manager at Bryan Health East, and Matt is an emergency room paramedic at Bryan Health West.

“You see a lot of different things there,” said Matt, having never let it stop him from advancing in the field.

He decided to enroll in nursing school and was just one semester from finishing up when doctors revealed to him that he had stage four cancer in his kidneys, which had spread to his brain.

Matt’s first reaction was shock, then a slew of questions.

“What, am I going to go back to work? How’s school going to end?” he asked himself. “But, it stabilized quickly.”

That was thanks to special help from a crew Matt is part of.

Matthew Carver is also in their group.

“They’re the people that, you know, in the moment, you can count on these guys,” he said.

Carver worked as a nurse practitioner at Bryan West for 16 years and says the group was tight-knit friends who worked an intense weekend shift.

They relied on each other both on and off the clock, especially Matt.

“He just has this calmness about him that he always brings to a situation, and he’s just a very empathetic person,” said Carver.

When he first learned Matt was sick, he said he knew they would all help.

“I just couldn’t believe it, you know. This is supposed to be such a happy time for Matt. He’s finishing up his nursing degree. I really wanted to give him, be able to give him, some peace to just rest or to get ready for this fight that he’s about to have.”

Shortly after, another colleague in the group, Chris Cerio, set up a GoFundMe.

Within days, it reached $25,000, and then $50,000.

Matt and Nicole were shocked again, but this time, in a good way.

“I just would have never in a million years predicted that; I can’t thank everybody enough. We can’t thank everybody enough,” said Matt.

Nicole’s reaction?

“Shocked and blessed! It shows the love that he has for people that he served in the community and helped us,” she said.

With lifted spirits, Matt says he’s ready to fight the cancer.

He shares that strength with his wife and their two children.

His message to others fighting this battle?

“Definitely lean on the ones that are close to you,” said Matt, who has now started treatment and will start radiation soon.

If you would like to show support to Matt and his family during this time, you can access the fundraiser here.