Lifeguard found for the host "Fritzi": "I cried"
Created: 11/22/2022, 5:30 p.m
By: Charlotte Borst
They pulled out all the stops to help Fritz Maurer (3rd from left) to find a stem cell donor: (from left) Christina Gebauer, initiator of the aid campaign, Franz Guggenberger from the Burschenverein, Josef Breu, 2nd chairman of the Siegertsbrunn fire brigade, Siegertsbrunn's commander Sebastian Walch, Deputy Commander Leonhard Hörger and Walch's son Simon.
© Siegertsbrunn fire brigade
They still exist, the good news in these times.
After many weeks of worrying, Fritz Maurer, the landlord of the curves in Siegertsbrunn, who was suffering from blood cancer, actually found a stem cell donor.
Höhenkirchen-Siegertsbrunn
- Four weeks after the big typing campaign, a donor was actually found for Fritz Maurer from Siegertsbrunn.
Unexpectedly quickly, the popular host of the curves has a real chance of recovery again.
In the past few months, the restaurateur, whom many simply call “Fritzi”, had to fear for his life.
He was diagnosed with leukemia for the second time.
Last Monday, the saving donation was handed in at the Munich clinic and frozen: "When my doctor told me that, I cried, trembled and felt an indescribable joy.
It was madness.”
It remains unclear who the donor is
Nine out of ten HLA characteristics match.
"It's a top donation," says Fritz Maurer enthusiastically from his sickbed.
The HLA markers are structures on the cell surface that signal to the body whether the cells are autologous or foreign.
"If the cells reject, the doctors bring them together with medication," explains the 55-year-old.
He won't find out who the donor is for two years: "All I know is that it's a man."
With his family: Fritz Maurer (right) is happy that he has the chance to live a long life with his loved ones.
© private
The past few weeks have given Fritz Maurer a lot of courage.
The sympathy for his fate was huge: friends and acquaintances organized a registration campaign with the boys' association, the Siegertsbrunn volunteer fire brigade, the Augustiner brewery, the community and the German bone marrow donor database (DKMS).
The Unterhachinger SpVgg was also touched by the fate of their fans.
Coach Sandro Wagner promoted the campaign via video.
The calls spread like wildfire.
Over 900 people registered for the campaign in October.
The past few weeks have taken him away
The DKMS leaves open whether the donor was found here or via the database.
In any case, the past few weeks have taken Fritz Maurer quite a bit.
"I cried a lot because I made such a hype.
The whole community and even neighboring towns took care of me.
I received heartbreaking messages from all sides.” He often asked himself: “How did it come to me now?”, he says, touched: “I'm also a person who likes to help others.
Now, tsunami-wise, I got help back.”
The soccer players of SpVgg Unterhaching have also started a fundraising campaign.
Head coach Sandro Wagner called on a video message to help Fritz Maurer.
© private
Big wish: Spend time with family and guests again
Before Christmas he has to go through two more chemotherapy treatments.
Radiation will follow from December 27th before the donor cells are inserted.
"Then our cells only have to dock," says Fritz Maurer confidently.
He will then be isolated in the clinic for six to eight weeks to avoid infection.
And then he wants to come back to life: "When I'm healthy, I want to spend time with my family again and be in my shop, because I love my inn and look forward to personally welcoming my guests again."