A13-year-old braincancer patient from Southeast Texas catapulted onto the national stage thanks to President Donald J. Trump visited eastern Williamson County this week to become an honorary peace officer.
During his trip, Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel stopped in Taylor Monday for a guest appearance on KRXT 98.5 radio and also was the day.
DJ and his dad, Theodis Daniel, said they are promoting cancer awareness and recognizing the efforts of peace officers nationwide.
Steve Laukhuf, co-owner of the Cowboy Broadcasting Network and morning deejay at KRXT, also presented DJ with a framed certificate proclaiming his honorary status.
Laukhuf thanked DJ for all he’s doing to encourage other children fighting cancer.
“You inspire kids that suffer from the same illness,” Laukhuf told DJ during an on-air segment.
After leaving the radio station in the McCrory Timmerman building, DJ was sworn into several Williamson County lawenforcement agencies –– including the Taylor Police Department –– at noon on the steps of the Williamson County Courthouse in Georgetown.
DJ is no stranger to the limelight. In 2018, the
Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel gives the thumbs up as he prepares to go on air at KRXT 98.5 radio in Taylor.
Houston native, who lives in Roman Forest just outside Liberty County, was diagnosed with brain and spinal cancer.
Given only five months to live, DJ’s father set off to help his son achieve his dream of becoming a police officer.
Their story gained national attention and since then DJ has visited 23 states and been sworn in as a deputy by 1,350 law-enforcement agencies.
Trump recognized DJ during a March 4 joint address to Congress and named him as a Secret Service agent, which Theodis Daniel said was a complete surprise.
DJ has been interviewed numerous times in-person and on-air. Given his son’s confidence and sense of humor, Daniel said he never knows what DJ will say next.
“I’m doing this because it’s what (DJ) wanted to do, but we’re really doing it for the officers and everybody else,” Daniel said.
The Daniels want to commend police officers and members of other law-enforcement agencies. Along their journey, father and son are also raising awareness about childhood cancer and research and treatment.
Theodis Daniel said they started a group for parents to talk about their children’s cancer diagnoses.
“Hospitals should really have a group to come and talk to parents, but they don’t. So that’s what we started doing,” he said.
Seven years since his own diagnosis, DJ is still going strong and he credits it all to his father.
The elder Daniel took a chance on experimental medicine for his son.
“They said I had five months to live…but we signed up for (the medicine) and since then, I’ve been living,” DJ said.
If someone asked him what he wanted for Christmas, this would be his reply, DJ said: “The only thing I want for Christmas is my dad because he saved my life.”
The youth shared a story of recently being sworn in as a deputy in St. Louis, where officers in turn allowed him to swear in 10 other children who also had cancer.
“The Lord put us on this Earth to help each other, to live life as best we can, to learn and teach somebody or help somebody up,” his father said.
One person can change the world or mess it up, the father added.
“We want change. We want better. We want unification and unity,” Daniel said.
