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Boston's Bravest: After cancer, a new fight to survive for a Boston firefighter

BOSTON — Surrounded by the pictures of his days as a Boston firefighter, Glenn Preston sits at the very spot where he very publicly shared his uncomfortable fight with cancer from his years on the job as a firefighter.

Now, he sits in that spot preparing for a new fight. The tumor in his chest from cancer caused nerve damage. These days, it doesn't take much for Glenn to lose his breath.

He leaves Saturday for a surgery to hopefully fix it and it can only be done in New Jersey.

"It's pretty significant," he said. "But it's that or nothing -- live like this and never get back to the job, or run with my kids or anything like that."

Doctors have been painfully blunt with him, saying he could be in the intensive care unit and should update his will.

Sadly, it's the fourth time Glenn has had to do that.

"Hopefully this is it and I go through it," he said. "Mentally, I'm more concerned with my kids and missing them and what their thoughts are. They've been through enough. Me, whatever. I got sick. A lot of us do in the job, you know, a lot of us do on the job."

While recent scans show Glenn's cancer gone, doctors haven't said he's in remission. They are worried the cancer could come back.

His four kids -- the oldest 11 -- are, once again, seeing their dad go to the hospital, but this time far from Boston.

Glenn's friends have set up a GoFundMe page to ensure that Glenn and his family have what they need.

"When you think about it, I've had so much support...just so much support, love, financial support and people trying to cook meals for us," he said. "I've been blessed."

Glenn went through the contacts on his cell phone, reading aloud name after name of the firefighters who are no longer here because they've lost their battle with cancer.

It's eye-opening -- even to him.

We've followed Glenn's story every step of the way in our Boston's Bravest coverage.

WATCH BOSTON'S BRAVEST: FACING A HIDDEN KILLER