More than 30 departments, agencies honor 10-year-old
OCEAN CITY — A 10-year-old Houston boy captured the hearts of a room full of veteran New Jersey police officers Friday.
Before a special ceremony for him could begin, Devarjaye Daniel went row by row through the seats in the Ocean City Music Pier, shaking hands with dozens of police chiefs, officers and audience members, getting and giving hugs.
He made a point of rubbing shaved heads. No one, not even the brawny police officers, minded, as they bent down so he could reach.
And no one could resist smiling at the pint-sized Daniel, who was wearing his own Longport Police Department uniform, as he made it a point to see and greet the roughly 100 people who came to the ceremony that was designed especially for him. A group of Ocean City firefighters who came to watch joked with DJ that he should consider joining their department instead of the police.
The event brought together more than 30-plus law enforcement agencies, most from Atlantic and Cape May counties and represented by chiefs or high-ranking officers who were taking time away from the start of the busy Memorial Day weekend to honor the boy.
DJ, as he likes to be called, was diagnosed in 2018 with metastatic anaplastic ependymoma brain and spine cancer. Knowing he had limited time because of the terminal diagnosis, he set a goal for himself to be sworn into as many police agencies as possible.
He initially set a goal of 100, but he blew past that target as his uplifting story began to spread across the nation.
At the Music Pier, police chiefs and other officials stood in line so they could personally swear DJ into their departments, their efforts getting him close to nearly 500 departments that have chosen to honor the little boy.
One by one, they had DJ raise his hand and take the oath to become an honorary member of their departments.
“Devarjaye carries an undeniable spirit and gains the attention of everyone he meets,” Longport Police Chief Frank Culmone wrote in a letter inviting area agencies to the event. Culmone directed the ceremony.
DJ is one of three children being raised by Theodis Daniel, whom Culmone described as a “blue-collar single father who is a service-connected disabled military veteran who honorably served our country.”
After gaining the attention of multiple law enforcement agencies in the Houston area, DJ was sworn-in as an honorary officer, deputy and federal special agent by multiple agencies.
“Devarjaye has won the hearts of many — if you ever met Devarjaye in person, you would immediately see why,” Culmone wrote.
DJ proved that Friday at the Music Pier with his outsized personality. He got people to laugh and others to cry.
He has undergone 11 surgeries and a number of other extensive medical procedures. He was initially given just five months to live after his terminal diagnosis.
“Devarjaye continues to courageously fight cancer with the relentless support of his parents, members of the community and many prayer support groups,” Culmone wrote.
About 100 members of area law enforcement and emergency response agencies, including from Ocean City, Somers Point, Linwood, Northfield and Upper Township, throughout Atlantic County and Cape May County, along with Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian and members of City Council, gathered in the Music Pier on Friday morning to honor the brave young man.
He made a point of hugging Council President Bobby Barr and rubbing the head of Councilman Tom Rotondi, who were both visibly moved by the moment. He had to be called up to the stage more than once as the Ocean City contingent held him back to take a group photo.
On stage, a representative of each agency lined up for the mass swearing-in, with DJ shaking the hand and/or hugging them, each one walking away moved by the experience.
After his son was sworn, Daniel came to the podium to thank those at the ceremony. He said after his military service he always felt more comfortable around people in uniform, and was especially touched by the actions of three police officers assigned to the shelter where the family was staying after losing their home to Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
The officers so enjoyed spending time with his sons they asked to “adopt” them until they could get home to their own children. That meant a lot to the father, but also left a strong impression on DJ that became a focus of his following his diagnosis.
“We are in a time in the world right now where finding the positive and finding the good is really tough and to be able to give back and be part of a positive memory for this young man means the world to me and my agency as well as all of these agencies,” said Sgt. Ray Burgan, public information officer for the Longport Police Department.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK and DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff