SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS Get local stories sent straight to your inbox as news breaks. Submit Privacy Notice

Des Moines police perform heartwarming salute to terminally ill sergeant Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

RHEYA: A SHOW OF FORCE BY DE MOINES POLICE, ALL TO SUPPORT A RETIRED SERGEANT IN A LIFE THREATENING CRISIS. KCCI’S MARCUS MCINTOSH IS LIVE AT THE DES MOINES POLICE DEPARTMENT TO SHOW WHAT OFFICERS DID AND WHY. MARCUS: RETIRED SERGEANT WADE JOHNSON HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL PANCREATIC CANCER AND IS HOME LIVING OUT HIS FINAL DAYS. YESTERDAY, MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT SOMETHING TO MAKE SURE SERGEANT JOHNSON KNOWS THEY ARE THINKING OF HIM. >> ON BEHALF OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE, DANA WINGERT, AND THE ENTIRE DES MOINES POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE WOULD LIKE TO SALUTE YOU MY BROTHER. MARCUS: WHAT POLICE ARE CALLING A ROLLING SALUTE FOR SERGEANT WADE JOHNSON IS MET WITH TEARS FROM HIS FAMILY. THE FAMILY DID NOT WANT TO TALK ON CAMERA BUT TOLD US IT MEANS THE WORLD TO THEM THAT SOMEONE WHO RETIRED MORE THAN TWO DECADES AGO IS NOT FORGOTTEN AND THE BROTHERHOOD IN BLUE BURNS BRIGHT. >> SERGEANT JOHNSON, WE LOVE YOU AND APPRECIATE YOU. MARCUS: SERGEANT BERNELL EDWARDS IS THE VOICE YOU HEAR BUT HE WANTS TO MAKE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR THE WORDS COMING FROM HIS MOUTH ARE FROM THE ENTIRE DES MOINES POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM THE TOP ON DOWN. >> OH WOW. >> WE LIKE TO LET EACH AND EVERYONE OF US KNOW HEY WE GOT YOUR BACK, WE ARE THERE FOR YOU IN A TIME OF CRISIS. MARCUS: LETTING HIM KNOW HE IS NOT FORGOTTEN IS A GIFT THE FAMILY TELLS US SPEAKS VOLUMES. >> WE WOULD LIKE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO KNOW YOU ARE IN OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR PRAYERS EVERY DAY. MARCUS: THE FAMILY TELLS US THE ROLLING SALUTE PUT A SMILE ON JOHNSON’S FACE AND AT A TIME LIKE THIS,