Marty Fischer lost his father, Pat Fischer, to cancer on October 2, 2024. Pat was a legendary former NFL player who spent ten of his 17 years in the league with the Washington Redskins. He was regarded as a hero by many, a member of the team’s Ring of Fame, and a persistent and courageous cornerback. But he was just Dad to Marty. Marty is now putting his sorrow into action by entering the boxing ring to defend his father’s memory and all cancer patients.
Marty, who has lived in Montgomery County for seven years, characterizes himself as a typical forty-year-old. Despite being a Master Boxer after roughly 20 years of training and fighting, he has never before participated in an official competition. He has determined that combating cancer is the ideal excuse to make his public debut and fight cancer head-on.The event, organized by Haymakers for Hope, will be at The Wharf in Washington, DC, on September 25 at 7:30 p.m. Donations to Marty’s cause can be made here.
Marty is driven by very personal reasons. He describes how his father, in spite of his great career and rugged exterior, lost a battle. Pat Fischer was a guy who instilled in his kids the values of fighting with all of their heart, showing up when it counts, and leading with love and courage. No matter how good or bad life got, he was always there.
Then came cancer, a battle for which none of us was prepared. Marty remembers the devastating moment he saw his sister’s heart fall when they found out there was nothing more they could do to help their father. He was reluctant to leave. He was reluctant to part from us. Marty writes, “He didn’t want us to see him like that.”
Marty will compete not only for his father but also for the numerous friends he has made in Montgomery County who are also fighting cancer, as he carries on his father’s heritage of tenacity and fire.Just as his father was always in their corner, so too will his sister Allison, brother-in-law Mat, wife Andrea, and kids Patrick and Claire be in his.As he and his family pay tribute to the man who shaped them into who they are, Marty asks the community to stand with him, cheer loudly, and fight with pride.
Visit the Haymakers for Hope website to learn more about the event or to show your support for Marty’s battle with cancer.
