MHP Ban Together To Support Fellow Officers

NEW ALBANY, Miss. (WCBI) – A member of the Mississippi Highway Patrol is suffering from a rare form of cancer.

Saturday a special fundraiser was held to assist with the troopers enormous expenses.

39-year old Keith Cole wanted to be a Mississippi Highway patrolman for more than a decade and on March 6th he graduated from the academy and began to fulfill his dream but on April 11th he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer known as E.G. Junction which affects the stomach and the esophagus, and he has had to make several trips to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Texas for treatment.

“I’m still working when I’m home from treatment. Once I feel you know better from the treatments that I receive I come back to work full uniform working the road. Right now I’m still in training so I’m riding with another trooper but I feel good when I’m home and everything’s good. Obviously it’s a battle I’m having to go through but everything is mental. It’s how you attack everything and how you keep going and you know as trooper we are trained to never give up,” said Cole.

“We have always leaned on the Lord and our family members. But we have extended family, our church family and the Mississippi Highway Patrol and they have just been such a blessing and cater to every need that we’ve had before we even asked. And so we’re truly encouraged, there have been so many prayers answered and so we are humbled and truly blessed,” said Keith Cole’s Wife, Monica Cole.

Many members of Troop F were on hand for the auction which had high end items including State and Ole Miss football helmets.

They then caravan to Mi Pueblo Mexican Bar and Grill to continue the auction.

“He’s just a great guy. We need people like him. We try to recruit people like him actually he’s a great guy, great heart he’s trying to help people when we’re trying to help him. It’s just amazing to me to see he’s demeanor throughout this process,” said Troop F Captain Chad Moore.

Cole has not been struggling alone.

“As bad as it is for him it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through so it’s very been real difficult, really hard on us. But we’re optimistic that he’s going to be fine. We appreciate everything that everybody’s been doing and he’s been treated super good,” said Keith Cole’s father, Lloyd Cole.

“Nothing that can explain in words when it’s your child. He’s my baby boy. God has been so good because the diagnosis would have never been found if it wasn’t for his blessing that on Easter Sunday at his grandmother’s house he couldn’t swallow, and from there it’s progressed where we are today,” said Keith Cole’s mother, Gloria.

“My husband’s extremely tough and an extremely strong person. And he lays on the Lord and of course with the support of his friends and family we’re going to get through this,” said Cole.

Trooper Cole and his wife will be making several trips to Houston in the coming months.