When he was in first grade, Nick Cianciara lost his home in a fire. It was this experience that inspired the now Elon sophomore, to become a volunteer firefighter in his hometown.

"You meet people at the worst times in their lives," Cianciara said. "You also feel like you're doing something greater than you could have imagined."

This attitude motivated him to help a fellow firefighter back home. Cianciara heard about the Evan Holtz Fund on Facebook. Holtz is a firefighter who cannot work because he is suffering from a brain tumor. To help with some of Holtz's medical expenses, Cianciara decided to take action.

"When you hear somebody that you're kind of linked to like that, go through any type of hardship you just kind of want to help out," he said. "And that's why I felt like it was just something that I needed to do."

Cianciara will run 2.8 miles on Dec. 14 from one fire station to another near his hometown in Basking Ridge, N.J. So far, he has raised more than $1600. His goal is to raise $2500.

Running three miles is tough as it is, but Cianciara will be running in full firefighter gear. Altogether the gear weighs 67 pounds.

"It is a threat for a lot of firefighters having some sort of heart attack or heart malfunction while doing their job just because it's a lot of gear, it's heavy," he said.

And after the 2.8 miles are behind him, Cianciara will meet Holtz for the first time at the finish line.

"And then I can tell Evan 'like listen I've tried everything I can do and this is what I've been able to do for you, and I hope this can help out,'" Cianciara said.

Even though the two have never met, Cianciara is happy he can make a difference in Holtz' life. And he is determined to meet his goal.

"This is one of those goals that I feel like I have to reach because I think if Evan can go through surgeries and go through recovery and go through more surgeries and go through all of that struggle and hardship, the least I can do is reach out to people and people and people and raise this money for him," he said.

If you would like to make a donation to Cianciara to benefit Holtz, visit: http://www.gofundme.com/4xqsdg