Brandon Lewis rang in the new year with fellow Circleville volunteer firefighters at a house party in North Huntingdon.

Mr. Lewis, 21, who lost his parents and maternal grandparents to cancer, had every reason to hope for good health in the new year and beyond.

He was feeling fine since having a bone marrow transplant Sept. 16.

First diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2005, during his senior year at Norwin High School, he underwent a stem cell transplant but had a relapse last spring. But, with the new transplant, things were looking bright.

"I spent the night with him New Year's Eve and he was fine, eating very, very well," said Bill Sombo, Circleville assistant fire chief and a North Huntingdon police officer. "Everybody, including him, thought that everything was going fine."

That's why the shock was so overwhelming Friday when he fell ill at the home he shared with his sister, Brittney, 22. He was pronounced dead at Forbes Regional Hospital.

"Everything seemed to be going well with this transplant," said his aunt, Joanne Saula, of North Huntingdon. "He said, 'Everything is going perfectly.' He had a very positive outlook.

"That's why this is so hard. No one expected it. Everybody is in disbelief, He wanted to live," Ms. Saula said, breaking down in tears. "He wasn't ready to die.

"He wanted to go back to school, he wanted to have a family and that didn't happen. It all abruptly came to an end with no warning," said Ms. Saula, whose sister and Mr. Lewis' mother, Luanne, died on Christmas 2001. Mr. Lewis' father, Howard "Bucky" Lewis, died Feb. 27, 2007.

"Brandon was so special," his sister said between sobs. "He cared about every single person. ... When he just walked in a room you couldn't help but smile back at him. He was witty and charming, an all-around really great person."

Mr. Sombo, North Huntingdon's K-9 officer, knew Brandon through his daughter, who also attended Norwin, where Mr. Lewis was a linebacker on the football team. Mr. Sombo also coordinated police department volunteers for the 2006 benefit concert for Brandon by the Povertyneck Hillbillies and headed up a complete repair effort by more than 600 people at Mr. Lewis' house.

Because Mr. Sombo has trained dogs owned by Steelers players over the years, he was able to obtain team memorabilia for fundraisers and introduced Mr. Lewis to his hero, Troy Polamalu.

Mr. Polamalu and Mr. Lewis, who prayed together at Steelers training camp in 2007, became friends. Several times, Mr. Polamalu visited Mr. Lewis at UPMC Shadyside. Early this season, the day before the Sept. 14 game with the Cleveland Browns, Mr. Polamalu visited again and as he was leaving Mr. Lewis said, "How about a touchdown tomorrow?"

"I don't know about that. How about an interception?" Mr. Polamalu responded.

In that game, which the Steelers won 10-6, Mr. Polamalu made a diving interception. Several days later, he showed up at Mr. Lewis' bedside and gave him that ball, which he had autographed.

Because of the connection between the young man and his hero, Mr. Lewis will be buried wearing Mr. Polamalu's No. 43 Steelers' jersey.

Mr. Lewis appreciated everything that was done for him, Mr. Sombo said.

"We were very close," Mr. Sombo said. "He wanted to join the fire department. I said he needed a reason to join other than the fact I was there. He looked me right in the eye and said he wanted to give back to the community that had given him so much.

"He was a just a very, very warm, wonderful person."

Friends will be received at the Alfieri Funeral Home, 201 Marguerite Ave., Wilmerding, from 2 to 9 p.m. today and tomorrow. A blessing service will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the funeral home.

A Mass will be celebrated in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, North Huntingdon. Entombment will be in Penn Lincoln Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Brandon Lewis Memorial Fund at the First National Bank, Circleville Office, 200 Clay Pike, North Huntingdon, PA 15642.