Man Fights Cancer to Serve and Protect

HOUSTON - Roy Turrubiate's lifelong dream was simple. He wanted to serve and protect.

But, nothing could protect the husband and father from cancer.

Known as "Turbo", he worked as a correctional officer for years with the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department. He was in school and training to be a peace officer.

Then came the diagnosis: colon cancer, stage 4.

Turrubiate gave up his dream and dropped out of school. His battle against the cancer cells was now his primary focus.

Rounds of chemo left him weak. He is now in a wheelchair.

Fort Bend County Sheriff Milton Wright helped Turbo achieve his dream. In front of a standing-room-only crowd, Sheriff Wright presented Turbo with a deputy's badge and ID.

Turrubiate wiped away tears.

"I'm speechless because of what they did for me today. It's overwhelming."

He describes his desire to be a police officer as a dream since he was in elementary school.

"Taking care of others and just being an officer is what I wanted to be."

Longtime colleague Sgt. Gilbert Palmarez fought back tears.

"Every time there was work to be done, he was always there. Great employee... always tried to help others, I think as a family that's what you look for."

Turrubiate vows to triumph over the cancer cells despite what his doctors are telling him.

"They were talking days, months and I'm going to leave it in God's hands. It's something they couldn't give me no more hope of getting it cured."

When he looks about the room full of family and the familiar brown of the Fort Bend uniform, he says, "Seeing my browns here, I'm going to beat it. I feel great. it's just a matter of taking it one day at a time."