The Szalkowski Fund

Dave Szalkowski is an 18-year veteran of the Seaside Heights Police Department who has risen to the level of Captain and has certainly earned the respect of his fellow officers. The father of two is known as a mentor and teacher to the younger members of the department but beginning Monday they won’t have much face-to-face contact with Captain Szalkowski. That’s because he and his wife will be leaving for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where they will reside while the 44-year old awaits a double lung transplant.

Szalkowski has been stricken with scleroderma; an autoimmune disease which leads to hardening of the skin and in his case has forced him to use oxygen 24 hours a day. Organ transplant centers closer to home could not help and upon the advice of his doctors he sought out the University of Pittsburgh which has accepted him as a candidate for a lung transplant. Because he needs to be in close proximity to the hospital Szalkowski and his wife Elayne will live in an apartment in Pittsburgh and wait for the call that will give him hope…ironically only after someone else has died.

Szalkowski will continue to handle police administrative duties and schedules for as long as possible thanks to a laptop, fax machine and cell phone while in Pittsburgh. Meanwhile his 14-year old son and 11-year old daughter will remain back here so their schedules can remain as normal as possible. Berkeley Township Detective Jimmy Smit and his wife will help take care of the children because that’s what best friends do.

And to that end many of Szalkowski’s friends and co-workers will gather tomorrow night for a fundraiser at the Beachcomber Bar & Grill on the boardwalk. The event runs from 5-10pm with food and music by Frankie and the Burn with all proceeds to help with the living expenses they will incur while in Pittsburgh. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the door and if you can’t go but would like to help you can mail a check made out to
“The Szalkowski Fund” and send it to the Seaside Heights Police Department. In the ultimate role reversal it’s time for others to be around when a cop needs them!