MESA, AZ (AZFamily) — Greg Smith, a U.S. Navy veteran and longtime wildland firefighter who donated a kidney to a fellow firefighter, underwent triple bypass surgery Monday and is recovering at a Mesa hospital.
Doctors found a major blockage in Smith’s heart, and he needed the surgery right away. The procedure went well, but his medical bills continue to climb.
After serving in the Navy, Smith spent 35 years as a wildland firefighter, leading hotshot crews in Arizona and across the country.
Kidney donation to fellow firefighter
A few years ago, fellow firefighter Bill Kuche needed a kidney. Smith was first in line to donate one of his…