Presidential Medal of Valor Recipient Still Has Passion for Playing
Marvin Donaldson has been a firefighter for 24 years and regular in the Oklahoma poker scene. He shared with PokerNews that he plans to retire soon, putting an end to a noble career that included winning the Presidential Medal of Valor in 2005.
Donaldson, five fellow firefighters, and two police officers were recognized for their bravery when he was part of the emergency response team that saved a paramedic during a call to a house explosion in 2004, saving a paramedic while under gunfire.
As the sun sets on his firefighting career, Donaldson will enter his retirement with an already accomplished poker career on his resume. According to The Hendon Mob, Donaldson has amassed nearly half a million in career earnings in poker tournaments.
The Kansas City firefighter has been playing competitively since 2014, when he secured his first cash prize of his tournament career. He shared that his introduction to poker occurred after Chris Moneymaker shook up the poker world with his win at the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event, as he played against his fellow firefighters. He realized he had a knack for the game and kept pursuing his passion for playing poker.
While his firefighting career may be winding down, Donaldson does not plan to stop playing poker anytime soon, as he continues to travel to tournaments to compete. Donaldson has hit a rough patch in the last level, but is still in contention here at the RGPS Tulsa $800 Main Event.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
55,000
90,000
|
90,000 |