During a Joint Address to Congress on March 4 of this year, President Donald J. Trump introduced many of us to Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, 13, of Houston, Texas. DJ, a brain cancer survivor, who always wanted to grow up to pursue a career in law enforcement, is in Polk County today on a quest, one that Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd was happy to oblige.
This morning, on Friday, March 28, 2025, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office hosted a ceremony at the PCSO Sheriff’s Operations Center in Winter Haven, swearing the young man in as an honorary deputy sheriff for the agency.
DJ was recently sworn in as an honorary Secret Service agent in Washington D.C.
Recent news stories have been published about this young man who is suffering from incurable brain cancer. Polk County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer, Carrie Horstman, says, “He has a goal of being sworn in at 1000 police agencies across the nation to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records.”
Horstman says DJ’s count is currently at around 913, leaving him with about 86 additional swearing-in ceremonies after today to make it to his goal.
His dad, Theodis Daniel, drove him to Florida and arrived in Polk County on Thursday from Texas for the occasion. After a couple of flat tires, the father, son, and other family members arrived at the operation center for the ceremony. It doesn’t seem like much will hold this family back from getting where they need to go.
DJ and his family were welcomed by the media and other attendees with a fanfare of applause. Despite having terminal brain cancer, he is a gregarious and feisty young man, spending several minutes in banter with Judd, swapping one-liners, and took the time to ask the Sheriff a few important questions.
Sheriff Judd gave attendees a glimpse of the Secret Service badge DJ received and spoke on his good character.
“They made him…The Department of Homeland Security Secret Service Honorary Special Agent…that’s pretty awesome, right?”
“How’d you get that?” DJ said playfully, with humor beyond his short number of years.
“But now, we’re going to make you an honorary Polk County deputy sheriff. Is that pretty cool?”
‘Yes, sir,” DJ responds with a straight face. “As soon as I get sworn in , when do I get paid?”
Sheriff Judd administered the oath of service to his new honorary recruit, clad in an official PCSO uniform. normally, his father pins a new badge on his son, but DJ requested that his cousin, Laquita Beal, of Plant City, have the honor today, a move that she later said moved her greatly.
“I was so shocked. It was an honor, I lost the strength in my hands; I was shaking. But this is how he is, he just really free-spirited, very funny.”
DJ was given a commemorative plaque, a Jeepin’ with Judd bobble head, and, naturally, an official PCSO issued cowboy hat. He is also making memories, and demonstrating that when life hands you challenges, there are different ways of handling them.
DJ’s dad may have said it best:
“This whole journey is worth it. Who ever heard about a kid with terminal brain cancer that’s able to go out and share his stories with the world?”
‘He’s living his life, his best life. Like 1999 Prince.”
