Omaha firefighter and paramedic Dale Fausset, who fought the city to get coverage for a bone marrow transplant, died Saturday night.

Fausset was forced to wait because the city, which is self-insured, initially wouldn't approve the $150,000 cost. After weeks of fighting, the insurance company settled last month.

Fausset worked for years at Omaha Fire Station 5 (formerly Station 20) as a paramedic shift supervisor, living his life on a watch, always knowing time is everything when saving lives.

But when he needed the bone marrow transplant, his doctors fought with the city's insurance, which called it experimental. He waited nearly three weeks before the city agreed to the procedure.

"During the time that Dale was waiting for approval of the transplant, during that extended period of time, he contracted an infection," says Darren Bates with the Omaha Firefighters Union.

Six On Your Side had previously reported about Fausset’s struggle. When he retired his health deteriorated. "He really never got an opportunity to enjoy his retirement," says Bates. "He got sick before he left the job."

Fausset had a lung transplant, but it got worse and doctors determined he needed a bone marrow transplant because of complications, but insurance to cover it was denied.

Coventry, the city's health benefits manager, finally agreed to pay for the procedure after an appeal by Fausset, his family, and his union. "It was a very big extended period of time,” says Bates. “We have been fighting this for a very extended period of time. We were fighting for weeks to get him coverage for the bone marrow transplant."

Others provided chartered flights and fundraisers to offset medical expenses not paid by Coventry. His brother agreed to donate the bone marrow, but infection took over his body before the bone marrow could take effect.

"He was never able to fight off the infection," says Bates. "The whole idea of the bone marrow transplant was so that his body could begin fighting that kind of infection, producing white cells that would be able to start fighting infections."

A memorial and funeral are being planned.