New Jersey cops band together to help brother in blue fight ALS
WOODBRIDGE, NEW Jersey (WABC) -- Cops in New Jersey are banding together to raise money for a retired officer with ALS.
Retired Byram Police Det. Todd Duffy spent 25 years on the force.
He retired in 2012 to fish, travel and enjoy his children and grandchildren. But in 2016, ALS and other complications struck and changed his life into a battle to live.
"I told him basically to hang in there, we're here for you, anything you need, just like you've been there for us," said retired Officer John Donofrio.
Duffy's medical coverage hit a snag when Byram Township moved to a more cost-saving insurance policy, which disrupted coverage for Duffy and other police retirees.
"To see this happening to him is just so unfair, I guess God has a plan for everyone and I'm sad to see this is one for Todd," said retired Officer John Hulse.
A few days after the switch, the PBA said Duffy was denied his medicine, which costs $16,000 a month. His family had a $5 co-pay that is now gone.
"Over six months of us trying to get him that medicine, Todd's lost time that he just will not get back, and that's one of the saddest things," Hulse said.
"Unfortunately it's taken us this time and he's been suffering all this time," attorney Michael Bukosky said.
"It's about quality for him and I really would love to see more time spent with his family," Newtown Police Officer Micky Kaylani said.
While the PBA works to get Duffy back to the coverage he needs, a GoFundMe page and a fundraiser dinner is planned to raise money to get him back on his prescriptions immediately.
His former colleagues are working the phones, social media and any angle they can think of to help their brother in blue live as long as he fights his greatest battle.
"We gotta take care of him, we are our brother's keepers," Kaylani said.
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