Firefighter succumbs to transplant complications

Firefighter/paramedic Marco "Budda" Ordaz -- an ex-wrestler -- was a big guy who could be tough when he needed to be.

But residents of North Aurora frequently told his boss, Chief Steve Miller, about Ordaz's compassion for them, whether he was fighting a fire or taking care of someone in an ambulance.

Ordaz, 29, of Batavia, died Friday at University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago, from complications of a stem-cell transplant he had undergone to fight leukemia.

"He had an award-winning smile," said Miller, who was with Ordaz when he died.

Ordaz started with the North Aurora department in 1999 as a part-time firefighter. He also worked part time for the Batavia Fire Department.

"It did not matter in fire service what job (task) he had … just being a firefighter is what mattered to him," Miller said.

"He had more love for the fire service than anybody I have ever known."

When Ordaz first applied in North Aurora, he was too young. Miller told him to stay in touch and come back.

"He'd come in about every other week and say 'Hey, boss, don't forget about me,' " Miller said.

"He just handled the job great."

Ordaz was diagnosed with leukemia in November 2005, shortly after his wedding. He beat it once with chemotherapy and returned to work, but it came back in June 2007. He received the stem-cell transplant in December.

Ordaz was a 1996 graduate of West Aurora High School. He was a fifth-place medalist in 1996 in the Class AA state wrestling championship.

He was named North Aurora Firefighter of the Year in 2003 and 2007.

Ordaz is survived by his wife, Tricia; his father, Mario A. Ordaz of Aurora; his mother, Maria Ordaz of Aurora; his brother, Mario Ordaz Jr., of McAllen, Texas; a sister, Liliana Kantola of Aurora; nine nieces; four nephews; his mother- and father-in-law, Thomas and Terri Porch of Batavia; a brother-in-law, Thomas Porch Jr. of Geneva; and a sister-in-law, Tracey Jakaitis of South Elgin. He was preceded in death by his brother, Moses; and his paternal grandparents, Guadalupe and Maria Ordaz.

Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday at Moss Family Funeral Home, 209 S. Batavia Ave. (Route 31) in Batavia. The funeral service is at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 27 S. Edgelawn Drive in Aurora, where he will lie in state from 10 a.m. until the service. There will be a traditional firefighters funeral procession from the church to River Hills Memorial Park in Batavia.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Marco Ordaz Cancer Fund in care of National City Bank in North Aurora.

For more information, call the funeral home at (630) 879-7900 or visit www.mossfuneral.com.