Timmy Reen, a New York City firefighter, spent years concealing his severe obsessive-compulsive disorder, particularly his intense fear of contamination, from his colleagues. His rituals, such as wearing his oxygen mask longer, bringing his own bedding and cleaning supplies to the firehouse, and walking miles to work to avoid the subway’s perceived contamination, were viewed as quirks. After his shifts, he performed elaborate decontamination routines, including undressing outside and showering meticulously at home. While his colleagues saw him as a dependable firefighter, his family witnessed his growing isolation and the profound impact of his unseen struggles.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent vaccine mandate brought Reen’s hidden battle to a head. His overwhelming fear of permanent contamination from the vaccine led him to request an exemption, stating it would lead to suicide. This disclosure resulted in a contentious encounter with the Fire Department, a psychiatric evaluation, and ultimately the denial of his exemption. Forced to choose between his career and his debilitating O.C.D., Reen resigned after 20 years of service when the mandate was not lifted for him. Now retired and divorced, he lives a life of isolation, his every outing dictated by his contamination fears, a stark consequence of a disorder he had long tried to keep secret.
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