Houston cop with cancer rescues hundreds from Hurricane Harvey

hurricane Harvey a catastrophic event of epic proportions that pummeled Houston trying to get safety a natural disaster that inspired supernatural acts of heroism there were tons and tons of people helping everybody it was it was good to see everybody come together but there is one hero who was not just battling the deadly hurricane he was also battling his own deadly terminal illness he could have retired right after he had his diagnosis but he's chosen to keep working and keep doing what he loves which is being a police officer norbert Ramon a 24-year veteran of the Houston Police Department has a passion for his job and as a patrolman he saw plenty of action what's your favorite thing about being a police officer it's not routine it's different every day you know so you could be an El storm one day or you know you meet all kinds of people there's always a different challenge right but one day will forever be seared in the mind of officer Ramon the day he was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer it's been a bumpy road Ramon got the devastating diagnosis after a routine colonoscopy but I had no symptoms I mean I was in and I was in best shape of my life Ronnie Joe you know just doing everything lost all this weight this just came out of nowhere you were feeling good and great healthy never sick at all in a one-two punch the doctors delivered the news nobody wants to hear a death sentence officer Ramon had only two to five years to live I hit see like a ton of bricks the dad and grandfather of three was pulled from Patrol and placed on deaths duty while he underwent chemotherapy every two weeks they immediately started me on chemo after that so I was getting a lot of pains in the stomach I don't miss I'm always keel over but when hurricane Harvey hit so did the brave call of duty I don't sit here and dwell on my cancer the only time it hits me is when I go to the doctor and reality hits me again with the flood waters rising officer Ramon forgot his own troubles and plunged into action he couldn't make it to headquarters so he reported to a nearby station Houston PD's Lake patrol when I showed up to work Saturday morning he was already here he actually beat me here sergeant EPI Garza has worked alongside officer Ramon for 15 years he was thrilled to see his longtime buddy turn up to lend a hand I knew this was gonna be serious and I could use all the help I could need especially with officers who got experience like himself in voting but sergeant Garza knew he had to keep his good friend from getting in over his head since he was the only other person who knew about Officer Ramon's cancer battle and I briefed everybody and i briefed him to the side and we talked on my hate just let me know how you feel if you need to take a break or if you need to rest or you know in other words I want to give him special treatment but he's not that type he doesn't one he will if everybody else is out there working guess what he's gonna be out there working - no he's not in fact even working round the clock for days none of the other cops had any clue Ramon was facing a terminal condition somebody had to tell me I can't sir I didn't even know he made the rest of us still like we needed to step up our game a little bit Ramon and the patrol team braved the rising floodwaters tirelessly rescuing trapped and desperate people on boats packed beyond capacity right now it's just us and we've got all the room in the world but when you were on this boat during hurricane Harvey what did it look like what did it feel like oh this whole deck was covered with people here come back to put on you save children from second-story apartments yeah we'll have to stand on the top and that to reach you know I reached as far as I can and then they hand them to me the baby yeah the babies and stuff and I set them down and then some adults are trying but officer Ramon is quick to point out he was only a small part of the rescue effort many officers risked it all to save the stranded in fact some of his brothers in blue actually had to be snatched from the raging waters themselves but it wasn't just rising flood waters that posed a danger to officer Ramon but toxins in the water posed an added danger in his weakened condition what do you think your doctors would have said if they'd known what you were doing at first they're like cuz he's crazy what's he doing up there it's muddy there's debris there are chemicals or toxins and there's bugs you know just everything you know just but you didn't think about that no we know even with all the devastation Ramon says there were bright spots thanks to his fellow comrades they say you were the Energizer Bunny though you were just non-stop you were going and going you were just full of energy and vitality and when you work with these guys and they joke around like that you know they keep you going the guys are on your clowns I mean they keep your left and there's never a moment and of course a superfood that's been one of officer Ramon's secret weapons for all these years how did you get the strength with stage 4 cancer where did your strength come from I guess all the doughnuts they brought us here our local community oh so funny I never seen so many doughnuts before my life all joking aside eventually the team got wind of Ramon's grave condition we actually slept here at the station well I was the only one that knew about his diagnosis in one night you know where all the guys are fixing to go to bed and one of the guys goes hey uh I don't want to get in Austral Ramon's business but have you seen him have you seen his feet something's wrong with him well because of the other treatments that he takes cuz of chemo it makes his feet turn colors I had to tell him the truth of what his diagnosis was and they were just all amazed officer Ramon didn't complain not for a single second and after saving all those lives he still had to save himself with the airport's closed he then drove through the wreckage to Oklahoma for his own treatments you save people and then is immediately after saving people you went for chemo treatment officer Ramon has lived for two years with Stage four colon cancer he battles every morning for one more day and there are at least 1,600 people who are here because of his courage we hear that he saved 1,500 people in that number actually is probably on the low end but I've always said to me what's the most remarkable it's just him just doing it and not complaining and not being one to be treated anything special and when the flood waters finally cleared the man who helped save more than 1,500 lives still refuses to take credit for his heroism because of your heroics there are generations who will still be around because you didn't give up even though you have cancer do you feel like you're a hero we do oh I don't know everybody's can't accept it I mean that was just out there working and doing with what we do regardless you know I just mean I consider every officer out there working you know they're all heroes to me houston police officer Norbert Ramon was not alone when he rescued more than 1500 people during hurricane Harvey however officer Ramon story is quite unique that's because along with battling the rising floodwaters he was battling an aggressive form of cancer and right now I'm honored to be joined by this brave officer thanks for being here how you feeling I'm feeling good how is the battle against cancer going it's going good I mean I try not to dwell on it I try just to keep my knife normal stay busy do a lot of recreational activities keep my mind free what was it like being in that situation they had to be overwhelming the first thing we went out we had a lot of children and families that we rescued and that was all day eight or nine hours just back and forth back and forth well I want to bring in someone who obviously is very supportive of you your wife Cindy Cindy come on in here thanks for being with us I appreciate it thank you what did you think when he said he was going to work with all these things going on with his health well that's a huge concern of mine of course because he is battling stage 4 colon cancer and it's an aggressive form of cancer I was doing just praying and God please keep this man safe keep him healthy I knew he was gonna be out there doing what he loves to do helping people tell me one thing about your husband that no one else knows he's a big teddy bear he might put on this front that he's big burly mean to fly he's a sweetheart well your actions that day did not just touch the people of Houston they touched us here at crime watched alien right now we would like to award you with our special badge of honor it's a little title we reserved for those who go above and beyond the call of duty and you certainly deserve it and here is a check for $5,000 just made out to the assist the officer foundation in Texas it's a great organization one we're very fond of and there's something else they told us that they're gonna award this to you guys so it's yours to help in your battle and your struggle and at the API point in life thank you it is that very least we could do and God bless and we wish you nothing but God's power but thank you so much and I believe in prayers of the for everything

Channel: True Crime News

Views: 43,896

Keywords: Norbert Ramon, Houston Police Norbert Ramon, Hurricane Harvey, Houston hurricane, True Crime Daily, Crime Watch Daily

Id: ViMqeOorMgI

Length: 10min 18sec (618 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 20 2019