11-year-old battling terminal cancer sworn in as honorary Chicago police officer
CHICAGO (CBS) – An 11-year-old Texas boy has made his way across the country to be sworn into hundreds of police departments.
Davarjaye Daniel is battling terminal cancer. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray had the story on him becoming an honorary Chicago police officer.
Daniel, 11, is bold and demanding when it comes to hugs.
"If you missed your hug, you might as well come get it now," Daniel told a crowd.
As a matter of fact, that's one of the first things he did when he saw CBS 2's Shardaa Gray behind the camera.
"She might have me smelling like a gingerbread," he said.
Daniel, who prefers to be called "DJ," is a cancer warrior and on a mission to be sworn in by hundreds of law enforcement agencies from around the country. When he was 6, he received a diagnosis of brain and spine cancer.
"He had five months to live, and he's been fighting it, but these law enforcement ceremonies have been helping him out," said Theodis Daniel, DJ's father. "We've been at it for a while. We're into the dangerous time of five years, but he's doing good."
But just listening to the boy, you'd never know he's battling terminal cancer.
"He's lucky I don't have my pen on me because I'd written him up right now," DJ said.
He dishes out almost as many jokes as he does hugs. Because of his love for law enforcement, his Houston-based family made it their mission to help him get sworn in by hundreds of agencies.
The Chicago Police Department will be agency No. 795.
"Really and truly, it looks better than New York," DJ said. "I ain't gonna to lie."
The Blue Island Police Department escorted DJ and his family to the ceremony at police headquarters. Patrolman Mike Brandy said DJ's attitude is infectious.
"You can see how spunky he is, and he's making everybody laugh," Brandy said. "And just seeing grown men up there crying in our department, it's just a great feeling."
Obviously, this kind of goodwill won't cure DJ's cancer, but his father said it's done something for his heart.
"It kind of wakes everyone up," Theodis said.
DJ said he plans to join as many law enforcement agencies as possible and give out tons of hugs.
Blue Island police said they're planning a ceremony for DJ to be sworn into their department on Tuesday at 7 p.m.