International Firefighters’ Day is celebrated May 4 — also St. Florian’s Day to many Christians — to honor the patron saint of firefighters and one of the earliest known commanders of a Roman firefighting brigade. The day serves to recognize resilience and service — qualities that Florida Gulf Coast University alum Zahra McCain (née Fayad) has embodied through many life changes and challenges.

From youth gymnastics to collegiate and NFL cheerleading, through multiple surgeries and grueling firefighter training, McCain’s journey to becoming a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue EMT has been anything but ordinary.

“I always try for the hardest possible thing,” says McCain (’18, health sciences).  

“I’d decided to put all my athletics away”

When she started classes at FGCU in 2014, McCain had made the choice to leave cheer and gymnastics behind.

“I’d decided to put all my athletics away and start a new chapter in college and just work on my career,” she says. But a friend convinced her to try out for FGCU’s cheer squad and she made the team.

In addition to cheer practice and Eagle athletics events — and two foot surgeries after her first year at FGCU — the health science major balanced Honors College commitments and a bartending job. Senior year, she made cheer captain.

With graduation approaching, she began asking herself, “What am I doing after college?”

FGCU cheerleading coach Emily Chaikin helped McCain find an answer. The Miami Dolphins were offering senior collegiate cheerleaders a VIP pass for auditions. Still, Chaikin had to talk her into auditioning, McCain says.

“Being an NFL cheerleader involves a lot of dance, and I’d never danced a day in my life,” she says. “But Coach Emily said I had the personality, I had the look, and I should go for it.”

“I started to chase a dream”

McCain became FGCU’s first-ever member of the NFL when she earned one of 36 cheerleading spots for the Dolphins’ 2018-19 season.

“Zahra was very passionate about anything that she did. Once she had her mind set on a goal she was going to achieve it, through blood, sweat and tears,” Chaikin says.

“I started to chase a dream I never knew was a dream,” McCain says, “until I did it.”

On game days, she’d wake at 4 a.m. to travel to the Dolphins’ stadium. The routine included morning drills, hair and makeup sessions, media interviews and public appearances — all before kickoff and performing in front of more than 65,000 fans.

After her one season with the Dolphins, McCain faced two more foot surgeries.

“You’re dancing in almost 3-inch boots on a field for seven to eight hours at a time,” she says. “My feet just got destroyed.”

Her passion for fitness led her to work as a group trainer in 2021, and she earned Certified Personal Trainer status in 2024. She was inspired by several women clients in the fire service, who sparked her decision to pursue a firefighting career.

“Their courage and determination showed me that this career was not only possible for me, but something I deeply wanted to pursue. I felt a calling for something more — a way to serve my community and make a tangible difference in people’s lives,” she says.

Determined to make the transition, McCain began EMT school in early 2022. She quickly realized the physical demands of firefighting required significant strength training. 

“Just getting in to fire school required a ton of training,” she says. “I was a skinny flyer, so I knew I had to start lifting weights and eat more.”

McCain completed fire school at Palm Beach State College in summer 2023 and joined Miami-Dade Fire Rescue in June 2024, entering an 18-week, paramilitary-style recruit training program. After graduating last October, she officially began working in the field and commutes from West Palm Beach to Miami for shifts.

And as if she wasn’t busy enough, she also experienced another exciting personal milestone: Last December, McCain married former Texas Rangers player and real estate broker Shane McCain. 

“I love the challenge. I love the grind.”

Balancing her personal life and dual roles as a firefighter and a fitness coach, McCain embraces the challenges of her demanding schedule.

“Being a firefighter requires a large amount of training, on and off the job. I get excited about going to work and serving the community. I feel lucky to have brothers and sisters in the service who continuously support and help me.”

While the job is “extremely challenging,” she says it’s exactly what she’s been looking for. 

“I love the challenge. I love the grind. I love that it’s something new every day. Becoming a firefighter has been one of the most fulfilling decisions of my life.”