NYC's Top Cop Opened Up About His MOST Inspiring Cancer Story

Here is the complete story -https://youtu.be/SOn0Kih6NJ0

Tony Schwartz, a well-known New York City media creator and sound archivist, worked closely with his friend, NYPD Officer and Union leader Ken McFeeley, on a series of anti-cigarette radio ads as McFeeley was dying. McFeeley was a longtime smoker and was diagnosed with lung cancer, which became terminal. Together, they created a set of raw, honest, and deeply personal public service announcements aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of smoking.

In these ads, McFeeley spoke directly to listeners from a vulnerable place, sharing his regrets about smoking and urging people to quit or avoid starting. The authenticity of a real police officer confronting his own mortality resonated deeply with the public. Schwartz’s masterful approach to audio helped capture the emotional intensity of McFeeley's message, making the ads compelling and memorable.

Schwartz believed in using media as a means to influence social change, and he knew that hearing McFeeley's voice—someone who was both a respected figure and a friend—could reach audiences in a way no statistics or generic warnings could. The collaboration between Schwartz and McFeeley left a powerful legacy in public health messaging and set a precedent for anti-smoking campaigns by leveraging real, relatable stories to convey the personal cost of smoking.

The resulting film was called If You Love Someone Who Smokes. Everyday thousands of people try to quit smoking cigarettes. Some succeed. Most do not. Statistics show that scary medical videos made to get people to quit just don't work. Neither do "you're a bad person" videos. This film presents neither of those approaches. Instead, it tells the simple and profound story of two friends living the experience with one of them is dying.

"If You Love Someone Who Smokes" contains no medical details, no special "techniques" and it supports no specific drug solution. But for thousands of smokers, this video gives them the heart and the courage to quit-- for the last time. The film does not scare or intimidate you. But once having seen it, you can never forget it.

Видео NYC's Top Cop Opened Up About His MOST Inspiring Cancer Story канала David Hoffman