Sean Sparling, a Superior Fire Department firefighter, died Saturday after battling cancer, according to the department.
Sparling, 38, died after a two-year battle with leukemia. He survived an initial bout with leukemia eight years ago, before it resurfaced in January 2019.
He worked for the Superior Fire Department for three years before joining the Phoenix Fire Department Training Academy, according to the department. While training, he was again diagnosed with leukemia. Sparling rejoined Superior Fire Department earlier this year, according to the department. AJ Petrucci, Sparling's friend and a Phoenix firefighter, said Sparling was passionate about being a firefighter and never missed an opportunity to talk about his family. "He was a great family man and loved his wife more than anything," Petrucci said.