Crime & Safety
Belmont Police, Other PDs Delivering Letters to Boy With Cancer
More than 40 police departments will be leaving the Burlington Mall Wednesday morning to deliver cards to six-year-old Nathan Norman in Rustburg, Virginia.
The one thing on Dawn Norman's wish list this holiday season is that her 6-year old son Nathan lives to see another Christmas, and that his wish of receiving cards, letters and patches from as many police officers, firefighters and EMTs is fulfilled. Why? Because police officers, firefighters and EMTs happen to be Nathan's heroes.
As reported on New Milford Patch, three years ago, Nathan, who lives with his family in Rustburg, Virginia, was diagnosed with brain cancer.
"I remember the doctor saying that there was an abnormality," Dawn Norman remembers. "The doctor kept telling me over and over that there was an abnormality and then it hit me. He was telling me that my son had cancer."
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Like most little boys, Nathan loves to watch cops, firemen and EMT's speed to calls in shiny cars and trucks —sirens blaring and lights flashing —making no stops as they race to save people.
This Christmas, Nathan is calling upon these heroes to make his wish come true by sending him cards, letters and patches —anything with a first responder insignia.
Find out what's happening in Belmontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
One of the departments responding to Nathan is the Belmont Police Department as Officers Cory Taylor and Paul Cowing are the two members of the force that have taken off on the day-long trip to Virginia.
According to WHDH, Burlington police officers heard of Nathan's wish and decided they wanted to help make his Christmas dream come true.
“One of our detectives heard of the wish and started a card around the department,” Sgt. Gerard McDonough, Burlington Police Department, told Channel 7 News. “Our honor guard got together and thought it would be a good idea to personally deliver the card to Nathan and his family.”
Officer James Tigges told the press that police departments all over New England have gotten into the action.
"Forty plus police agencies from all over New England will be gathering at the Burlington Mall and leave as a group (caravan) down to visit Norman Nathan, a young boy in Rustburg who is ill with cancer," Tigges said.
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