Melrose Police Officers Visit Terminally Ill Child in Virginia

Melrose Police officers were among the more than 250 officers that recently traveled to Virigina to meet a terminally ill child, according to a police press statement.

On Dec. 19 members of the Melrose Police Department Honor Guard drove to Rustburg, Va. along with nearly 100 other police departments to meet with 5-year-old Virginian Nathan Norman, who has terminal brain cancer and has a love of law enforcement and Christmas, according to the statement.

"The convoy drove single file with blue lights on (during) the 12-hour trip, picking up other agencies along the route from throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania (for) a three-mile-long line of holiday greeting," reads the statement.

Nathan was surprised the following morning at Liberty University with the officers' arrival and quickly brought the platoon to attention and after leading the officers through assorted commands, including making the platoon hop on one foot, Melrose officers had the opportunity to meet with Nathan and his family, according to the statement.

Sergeant Joshua Crowley, on behalf of Mayor Rob Dolan and Police Chief Mike Lyle, with the assistance of Officers Stephen Galvin, Michael Plumer and Greg Forestell swore in Nathan as an Honorary Officer of the Melrose Police Department, according to the statement. Officers from the Melrose Police Department covered the shifts for the Honor Guard and sent gifts and cards along with the Honor Guard, reads the statement.

"Welcome to the Department Officer Nathan Norman," reads the statement.