A GoFundMe campaign is underway for a Marion County Fire Rescue Chaplain who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share some difficult news about one of our own,” stated Marion County Fire Chief James Banta on Thursday afternoon. “Chaplain Alexis Sofield, a former firefighter and now a dedicated chaplain of MCFR, has been diagnosed with stage four adenocarcinoma, a type of lung cancer.”
A devout husband of 16 years to Madeline Franco-Sofield and a father of two sons, 15-year-old Jeremiah and 13-year-old Elijuah, Chaplain Alexis Ortiz Sofield joined MCFR where he served as a Firefighter/Lieutenant for nearly two decades.
Shortly after retiring from MCFR, Sofield felt the call to serve alongside the men and woman in the department, and he stepped into the role of Chaplain. In this position, he has devoted himself to faithfully preaching and teaching the word of God to his fellow colleagues.
Chief Banta stated that Sofield has been a “pillar of strength, courage, and compassion in our department.” The fire chief added that Sofield “braved flames and risked his life to protect others” as a firefighter, and he provides “unwavering spiritual and emotional support to our crews and the people we serve” as a chaplain.
To assist Sofield and his family with mounting medical costs, a GoFundMe campaign has been started with a goal of $50,000. As of 3:55 p.m. on Thursday, 40 donations have been received totaling $5,725.
“We are committed to supporting (Alexis), Madeline, Jeremiah and Elijah through this challenging time,” stated Chief Banta.