— A 4-year-old boy saw a dream come true Friday when he was sworn in as an honorary member of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol in Pembroke.

Rivers Malcolm has the hat, the badge, the patches, the tie and the serious look of a law enforcement officer. But he also has cancer, specifically a Wilms tumor, a common form of pediatric cancer of the kidneys.

Despite his almost-lifelong battle, Rivers' attitude has never flagged, his father said.

"He has taught me how to overcome obstacle after obstacle after obstacle and keep on truckin’," said Joshua Malcolm.

Rivers met Mike Chavis, a retired patrol sergeant, a couple months ago at Linda's Restaurant. He had lost his hair to his cancer treatments, but the boy was walking around with a smile for everyone, Chavis recalled.

"He went to table to table to table lighting up everyone he came into contact with,” Joshua Malcolm said.

Then two police officers walked in. "As you can imagine, his eyes lit up like nobody's business," Chavis recalled.

The troopers of Troop B, District 7 decided he deserved to be an honorary member of their exclusive fraternity.

On Friday, Superior Court Judge Greg Bell swore him in.

"I, Rivers Malcolm, on my honor, will never betray my badge or the public trust,” Rivers declared. Amid cheers, the newest trooper got his handcuffs.

He's already planned his first arrest. His brother has a bit of a lead foot on the bike.

"I want to beat him on the bike and put him in the house and lock him up," Rivers said.

After two rounds of diagnosis, treatment and remission, Rivers is currently cancer-free.