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Girl with Terminal Cancer Dies 4 Days After Being Honored by Chicago Police

BY Jonathan Zhou TIMEApril 11, 2016 PRINT

Six-year-old Madison Pruitt, diagnosed with terminal cancer, had a dying wish: she wanted to be a police officer. 

A case worker called the Chicago police, who sent an officer to personally present Madison with her own uniform and the medal of valor on Wednesday.

“This is for you, because you’re a brave little girl and you are the reason we do what we do. You’re our hero,” officer Eddie Johnson told her, ABC News reports. 

“If she doesn’t make you feel good about life, then nothing else will. Despite the fact that she’s going through what she’s going through, she was able to muster up a smile,” Johnson said. 

The medal of valor was donated by a lieutenant who was still on the police force. 80 officers showed up to visit Madison. 

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“I’m just so overjoyed for all this love for my baby. You don’t know,” said Pamlor Nelson, her grandmother, when the officers visited. 

Madison passed away on Sunday. She was afflicted with a a rare form of muscle cancer. 

Jonathan Zhou is a tech reporter who has written about drones, artificial intelligence, and space exploration.
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