Six-Year-Old Girl With Rare Cancer Gets Dream Visit From Chicago Police Officers, Interim Superintendent Eddie Johnson
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The interim police superintendent and several dozen officers went to the South Side home of a six-year-old girl who has a rare form of cancer, to fulfill her request to become a member of the Chicago Police Department.
Madison Pruitt was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of muscle cancer just after Easter last year.
She and her grandmother fought it. Then after Thanksgiving it came back.
Last week, her liaison with the hospice called the police and told them about Madison's dream: to be a police officer.
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The plan was for her and her grandmother Pamlor Nelson to go to the 6th Police District.
"This morning I asked her if she wanted to go, and she wasn't feeling well," Nelson said.
So the police showed up on the front porch of her home.
"Hi, I'm Superintendent Eddie Johnson. I heard... your lifelong dream was to become a Chicago Police officer, so today I'm going to make it official and make you a lifelong Chicago police officer. Congratulations!" Johnson told Madison.
Mounted police even made the trek. Officers lined the sidewalk, each with a red and blue balloon for Madison. She was not only presented with a Chicago Police hat, but a valor award and a medal of valor too.
Madison's grandmother shed tears during the presentation.
"I'm overjoyed with all this love for my baby," Nelson said.
Sergeant Ernest Spradley took the call from Madison's hospice social worker, to help make Madison's dream, come true.
"I kind of was anticipating we might be able to set up a little meet and greet for her, perhaps with one officer," said Lindsay Wooster, Journey Care Social Worker. "I never imagined that it would be this much so, it's pretty incredible for Madison."
"The page in the book of courageousness, is not written by Chicago Police officers but it's written by a little girl that's up there on the porch, spending time with us and for that, we're grateful and proud," Spradley said. ""This is just indicative of what we can all do as a city united together."
Her grandmother asked reporters to tell everyone to help find a cure for childhood cancers. She said children, should not be dying before the adults in their lives.
