TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) – Today was a dream come true for a sergeant in the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
That’s because a terminal diagnosis can’t keep him from jumping out of plane.
Sgt. Gary Hawco has served the community for more than a quarter century, but he’s been sidelined, lately.
Doctors diagnosed him with an aggressive form of cancer called glioblastoma. The cancer is a rare, highly-aggressive and fast-growing brain tumor that, for adults with standard treatment, has an average prognosis of 11 to 15 months, according to the American Brain Tumor Association.
As the son of an Air Force veteran, Hawco knew about his father’s time in the Air Force Pararescue during the Vietnam War.
He always wanted to jump out of planes, just like his dad.
When his fellow deputies found out, they discovered a way to make that happen.
Hawco’s colleagues connected with one of the rescue squadrons on base and scheduled a time for Hawco to jump this Saturday, Nov. 9.
An anonymous donor paid for Hawco’s jump.
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