Miles, a longtime FedEx driver who became a familiar face around Kalorama over more than a decade, has been off his route since January while facing another battle with cancer, according to a fundraiser launched on his behalf.
This time, it is multiple myeloma.
Miles previously battled kidney and bladder cancer before being diagnosed with the blood cancer, organizer Kristen Lund said. His treatment has already been grueling.
Miles is undergoing his fifth cycle of chemotherapy at Georgetown, a regimen that includes daily medication, intravenous chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Another major step comes next week.
On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Miles is expected to be admitted to Georgetown Hospital for a stem cell transplant, followed by a two-week hospital stay.
For people along his old route, Miles was never just the guy dropping off a package.
Lund, who said she first met him in 2011, recalled how Miles would make another trip through the neighborhood when someone missed an important delivery. When residents ran into FedEx problems that had nothing to do with him, he still tried to help straighten them out.
"That’s simply who Joe is: dependable, hardworking, honest and extraordinarily kind," she said. "He has spent years taking care of so many of us in our neighborhood. Now, he could use some help from us."
So when months of treatment kept Miles from working and medical expenses began mounting, Lund launched a GoFundMe to give the neighborhood a chance to return the favor.
The campaign is intended to help Miles weather the financial strain while he concentrates on treatment and recovery. Lund said there is also uncertainty over whether he will ever be able to return to the job and the neighborhood that have been such a large part of his life.
"I know Kalorama to be an extraordinarily kind, caring and generous community. So many of us know Joe, have opened our doors to him and have benefited from his thoughtfulness over the years," Lund added. "This is an opportunity for us to return some of that kindness."
But even with another hospital stay approaching, Miles offered a simple assessment of where he stands.
“I’m still here thankful,” he told Lund.
For a man who spent years making sure other people's packages reached their doors, his neighbors are now trying to make sure he does not face the road ahead alone.
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