Jason's Journey

Jason Garcia was born a guardian angel, throughout his life he has been the guy who saves lives and rarely receives his due accolades- He wouldn’t have it any other way. Now he is in the fight of his life against an enemy that we all fear and only the lucky avoid- cancer. His life of service began in 1992 at the age of 18 as a Bacliff volunteer firefighter and four years later became a paramedic. In 1998 he welcomed his first child, Erin, into the World. She has recently become the mother of his first and only grandchild, a son, Kasey. Seeking to serve his country he enlisted in the US Army in 2000 becoming a Combat Medic Paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division attaining the rank of Staff Sargent, and was among the first boots on the ground when the Global War on Terrorism began in Afghanistan, and later jumping from a C-17 into Mosul Iraq. In his total of four deployments he fearlessly faced enemy fire to ensure his wounded brothers and sisters would see their families again, and helped recover the fallen to ensure no man or woman would be left behind. While in Afghanistan he was essentially the 911 for American and allied forces covering an area half the size of the State of Texas! When the Good Guys needed help he was there day or night. In 2006 after returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom he welcomed another daughter, Naomi, to the family. Naomi is currently in high school and will graduate with the class of 2024. Beyond his two tours in active war he was also deployed to The Republic of the Congo, and also the Bahamas where he participated in a multi-agency effort to intercept and take down drug traffickers. Upon returning again to the States, he was honorably discharged from the military and soon resumed his roles as a firefighter, paramedic, and father. In the years since his service to our nation he has never slowed in his service to his fellow citizen. Jason has taken multiple of hospital positions ranging from direct patient care to Emergency Management Coordinator/Life Safety Specialist, regardless of the role it has always been a job that puts the well being of others above his own. In his time away from work he is still a volunteer firefighter and first responder with the Bacliff Volunteer Fire Department. Seeing opportunity to maximize his service to his community, Jason took it upon himself to revive Bacliff VFD’s first responder program. He poured countless hours into writing grants and protocols along with applying for the proper state licenses and permits, just so he could donate even more of his personal time and energy into helping others! In addition to being the director of the first responder program he is also the teacher and holds classes to keep members trained in CPR and other basic skills to aid the citizens of Bacliff. In the three or so years since restarting the program, Jason has been personally responsible for the positive outcomes for thousands of people in the Bayshore who don’t even know his name! Jason’s most recent employment has been with HCA Airlife as a Flight Paramedic- his dream job!! Unfortunately his recent diagnosis of late-stage esophageal cancer has cut his career short, and he has now been told by his doctor to hang up his stethoscope and fire helmet. Jason is a giver, but cancer is a taker- It is taking such a valuable person from his family and our community, and it has taken the career that was his source of income. Without his job, Jason faces the financial hardship that major medical issues bring. A vet, a Flight Medic, a Combat Medic, a Paramedic, a Firefighter, a CPR Instructor, the Head of a First Responder Program, a Friend, most importantly a Dad and Grandfather… and even an Ordained Minister to boot, Jason needs our help!!!