8-Year-Old Boy Trades in His Cancer for a Deputy's Badge

Though it was only for a day, young Odie Garcia had the thrill of a lifetime this week when he stepped into the shoes of a sheriff’s deputy.

Odie, who is in and out of the hospital for maintenance therapy for T Cell Lymphoma, will turn 9 years old on Sept. 7.

Diagnosed with the cancer just before his last birthday, he’s had a tough year. That’s why the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department wanted to help him fulfill one of his lifelong wishes.

“Odie has wanted to be a Law Enforcement Officer since he first knew what one was,” the sheriff’s department wrote on Facebook. “[Tuesday], Sheriff John McMahon saw to it that Odie’s wish was fulfilled.”

To get started, the sheriff administered the oath of office to a uniformed “Special Deputy Sheriff” Odie Garcia around 9:30 a.m.

Odie then headed over to visit with the agency’s SWAT team and academy trainees (even instructing them on their pushups!). He also got to meet JoJo the K9.

“He also got to ride in the helicopter 40 King, and visited the Emergency Vehicle Operations Center,” the sheriff’s department wrote. “All of this was followed by a BBQ lunch, a surprise birthday cake in his honor, and a room full of people singing him Happy Birthday!”

When the ceremony and birthday celebrations were nearing an end, Sheriff McMahon gave Odie a keepsake “special day” badge and reminded the boy that a full-time position will be waiting for him.

The sheriff’s department credits the Debbie Chisholm Memorial Foundation with helping make the special day happen for Odie.

For background on what has led up to this day, the sheriff’s department posted the following on Facebook:

In 2013, then 7-year-old Odie Garcia was like any other child his age looking forward to celebrating his 8th birthday party on September 7th. On September 6th, his parents, Emilia Garcia and Abraham Arcos took him to Azusa Canyon for a fun filled day with his family. After returning home, Odie’s parents were awakened at 3:00 a.m. by their son’s frantic calls saying he could not breathe. Odie was immediately rushed to Fountain Valley Hospital where doctors sedated him in order to place a small camera in his throat to diagnose the problem, the results were shocking.

Odie had a large tumor in his chest that was compressing his heart and lungs. A biopsy was taken and it was determined to be malignant. Odie was immediately transferred to Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Long Beach for further evaluation and was ultimately admitted for oncology treatment after transferring to Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. It was there that Odie was diagnosed with T Cell Lymphoma and his chemotherapy regimen began. Since that time, Odie has been in and out of the hospital for treatments and is now on maintenance therapy.

(All images and media courtesy of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department)