NORTH ATTLEBORO -- Pete Kryptowicz has been a fighter for a lifetime.

He fought for his country in the jungles of Vietnam, then fought to recover from serious battle wounds.

Back home, he fought for the rights of his fellow Vietnam War veterans, speaking out on the POW-MIA issue, and on Agent Orange concerns.

He fought to keep up his health by becoming a runner, then ran for the health of others, in fund-raisers and marathons on behalf of cancer victims.

He kept running, even after being diagnosed in 1993 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a disease that initially remained dormant. Now the disease has not only progressed, but has evolved into a very aggressive form of lymphoma. Just days ago, he learned that this is one battle he will not win.

Hospitalized earlier this week with a fever, Kryptowicz was later told by doctors that the lymphoma had advanced to the point that he had only two choices -- embarking on a brutal regimen of chemotherapy that would devastate his body and offer him a slim chance at best, or going home to the care of family, friends and hospice.

He tearfully thanked his doctors, and chose to go home.

Kryptowicz is now resting comfortably at his home on Mount Hope Street in North Attleboro, surrounded by those closest to him, including supporters who have formed a group called `` For Pete's Sake'' to raise money and awareness on his behalf, and more importantly to raise his spirits.

Kryptowicz has been overwhelmed by the effort.

`` It is absolutely incredible what they are doing,'' he said in a recent interview.

His disease is one that he believes was caused by Agent Orange, the defoliant sprayed by United States troops in Vietnam. After his original diagnosis, he embarked on a battle with his government to get it to recognize the link, a recognition that he knew might someday benefit his family. He kept fighting that fight, to no avail, even as the leukemia progressed and he began chemotherapy treatments.

Then last month, doctors at Miriam Hospital in Providence determined that his leukemia had evolved into large-cell lymphoma, demanding a much tougher regimen of drugs that might bring about a remission and the hope of a bone marrow transplant.

``This will be a lot worse than the battlefield,'' Kryptowicz said soon after that diagnosis. Overcoming the wounds of Vietnam was ``an ordeal I had to face to save my life. It brought me back. This basically is the same thing,'' he said.

Although the chemo drugs had weakened him to the point that he had difficulty walking, Kryptowicz had been hopeful that he would someday be running again. Now the `` For Pete's Sake'' group will do it for him. Although they have had to regroup, they are determined to do what they originally intended -- give Kryptowicz, his wife Holly, and two children Katie and Daniel, love and support.

They will go ahead with a planned blood drive next week, will continue to sell candy bars and t-shirts, and will enter a `` For Pete's Sake'' team in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life at North Attleboro High School in June, an event that Kryptowicz had hoped to join by taking part in the survivor's walk around the high school track, the highlight of the 24-hour event.

The group is scrapping plans for a dinner-dance, but is continuing to raise funds for the family, and to set up a scholarship fund in Kryptowicz' name, as he has requested. He has asked that the money be given to a North Attleboro High School senior with leukemia, or with plans to enter the medical field.

Sheila Fisher, one of the organizers, said the ``For Pete's Sake'' effort began because Kryptowicz was a runner. She and a friend met him some time ago during their morning walks, while he was in training for a marathon to benefit the leukemia society.

On his urging, Fisher began running, and now plans to enter this year's Boston Marathon in his honor.

Last fall, when Kryptowicz started having more difficulty with his cancer, Fisher and others who knew him wanted to do something to boost his morale.

``So many people want to do something for Pete because Pete has done so much,'' she said.

The ``For Pete's Sake'' group evolved, with a focus on the June Relay for Life. Their intent is to walk and run as many miles as Kryptowicz ran for others over the years, in five marathons in places like Boston, Providence, and Alaska. They figure that equals 130 miles, or 72 people-hours on the high school track. The 15 team members will include a representative of Kryptowicz' Class of '66 at North Attleboro High School.

His company, Texas Instruments in Attleboro, has donated money in his name to cover the registration fees of the team.

Kryptowicz has been deeply moved by the effort.

``I never realized how many people I have touched,'' he said.

Next week's blood drive, the first official `` For Pete's Sake'' event, was conceived weeks ago after Holly, a teacher at Amvet Boulevard School, donated blood because of her husband's need for transfusions, and came away impressed by the Rhode Island Blood Center.

The drive will be held next Sunday, March 26, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Aidan's Church on Diamond Hill Road in Cumberland, R.I. The drive has to be held in Rhode Island in order to benefit the center in that state. Donors need to be 18 years old, and in good health. Specially designed `` For Pete's Sake'' t-shirts will be on sale,

Organizers see that event and the continuing fund-raising as a way of giving back for the help Kryptowicz received, and for all the help he gave.

Even before his hospitalization, friends and co-workers had been taking turns stopping by the house in the morning to help him with breakfast, and then dropping by at midday for lunch, plus dropping off dinners for the family.

Kryptowicz has been very grateful for all the support.

`` Sometimes I'm at a loss for words,'' he said recently. `` It's overwhelming what people want to do.''

Meanwhile, Holly has been keeping relatives and friends updated on her husband's condition by e-mail, which has been dubbed Holly's newsletter, but which has turned out to be emotional therapy for her.

When the lymphoma was diagnosed, ``I could not talk,'' she said. But she could sit in front of the computer and write. There, ``I can be as emotional as I want, and no one is around. It is very therapeutic for me. I know all those people out there are listening.''

One of the toughest e-mails went out this past week with the news she could only describe as devastating. The message ended with a prayer, asking God to `` ease my Peter's journey.''

Her latest one ended with gratitude to everyone on her e-mail list.

`` You are all the greatest,'' Holly said.

Donations can be made to the Kryptowicz fund set up at North Attleboro Credit Union. Checks should be made payable to ``For Pete's Sake,'' and mailed to P.O. Box 548, North Attleboro, MA 02761. For more information on ``For Pete's Sake,'' call Maureen Merriam at 695-7349, or Sheila Fisher at 695-1810.