James Mitchell is currently known as “Oklahoma’s 5k Running Firefighter.” At 51 years old NF is not getting him down or even slowing his pace. His tumors didn’t show up on him until his late 20’s. He worked for Kwikset Black & Decker from 1983 to 2005. At the same time he was a volunteer firefighter from 1987 to 2008. Many years ago while James was playing basketball at the local YMCA as part of a work team, a few people began asking him about the bumps covering his body. Honestly, James didn’t really know what they were from and all he could say was that it was something that both his father and grandmother also had. His grandmother has them all over her face whereas he and his dad have them over their body. After the basketball game, the company doctor took a look at him and informed him that he did, indeed, have NF. Many years later, now being aware of the disorder, James started to notice more people in his town also living with it.

James currently works at the Sapula Atwoods which is a family owned store that deals in power tools, home repairs and lawn and garden supplies. One of James’s co-workers, Benny, who used to previously work there also had NF. A few years ago James walked in the Tulsa Oklahoma NF walk in his fire gear and with “NF Team Benny” on his air tank. Benny had wanted to be a firefighter but sadly never fulfilled his dream as he died from NF complications. James has continued to raise support running in NF walks and most recently in the CTF Cupid’s Undie Run raising money and research for NF.