(COLORADO SPRINGS) – Meet Joshua Salmoiraghi, Colorado’s smallest police officer.
Born in December 2013 and diagnosed with cancer in June 2017, he dreams of catching bad guys and fighting crime when he’s older.
“Right now we just told him that he has to beat cancer, that’s the one bad guy he has to take on,” said Josh’s father, Joseph Salmoiraghi
Josh has beaten cancer once already, undergoing chemo and surgery. But now the cancer has returned, this time attacking his left lung. However, thanks to the Colorado Springs Police Department, he and his family don’t have to face this enemy by themselves.
Josh was sworn in as the youngest officer on the force Tuesday, gaining brothers and sisters in blue to help support him.
This heartwarming story started near the beginning of April, “Two weeks ago now, I was on a call, working my sector when josh and his dad came up to me,” stated Officer Warren Lastul.
Joseph told officer Warren Lastul his son’s story and love for police; and the story touched the officer’s heart.
“I got into contact with Lieutenant Howard Black to see what, if anything, could be done. That blossomed into all of this,” Warren continued.
Even though the coming months will be difficult, the family is grateful for this day and this experience, “To have moments like these where he can have the levity and have the joy and smile and something to remember; as parents, sometimes it feels like more than we can give him.”
