Heroes and Cops Against Childhood Cancer

My name is Damon Cole, I am a full time Police Officer in Fort Worth, Texas. I have been a police officer since 1999. As a police officer I have dealt with so many children over my career. Keep in mind when I am dealing with them as a police officer, it is not always in a good light. So I wanted to try and make a big impact on the children that I come in contact with at work. Every child should know that a police officer is always there to help them through anything. The best way to get that message across is to build up a trusting relationship with them. So around 13 years ago I had the Superman logo sewed on my bulletproof vest that way whenever I would deal with a child on a call for service, I would tell them a secret but they would have to promise me that you will not tell anybody. I then make them pinky promise me to keep the secret. I would then undo my shirt so it exposes my Superman logo on my bulletproof vest. At this point the children go crazy, and they usually ask me where my cape is. I tell them that I cannot wear it with my uniform because it will get wrinkled. From that moment on the child will always remember me and that will make it easier for me to help them in the long run because they trust me.



In 2012 while working for Dallas Police Department I started dressing up as Superman doing different community events and going to local hospitals. In April of 2015 I learned of a 7-year-old boy named Bryce Schottel who had cancer. Bryce lives in Smithton, Illinois, and he is a very big Superman fan. As soon as I learned all this, I just knew I had to make the trip up there to see him. I used three vacation days from work and I hopped in my Superman Charger and I made the 11 hour drive to see him. I went to his elementary school first as Iron Man and I took pictures with all the children and the staff at the school. I then went to Bryce's house dressed as Superman where I met with him and his dad. Bryce was smiling ear to ear. I showed him my Superman car and I gave him some Superman stuff. I then gave him one of my extra Superman capes and he loved it. He immediately put it on and he didn't want to take it off. I spent several hours with Bryce and I even dressed up as Iron Man for him. We then played video games for a little bit and I wish I could say I let him win but he really did beat me so many times. I left his house and went to a fundraiser that the local police department was putting on for Bryce and his family. I dressed up as Iron Man and I had my Superman Charger on display. I spent several hours there until I left to head back to Fort Worth, Texas. It was such a great experience to see how happy I had made him and his family and that is when I knew that I had found my calling. Ever since then, I will go anywhere to see any child so I can have the same impact on them as I did with Bryce and his family.



My goal is to go to all 50 states and Canada to see every child that wants to see me. I currently have been to the following states Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, New Your City, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida and of course Texas. I was originally only dressing up as Superman but unfortunately I do not look like Clark Kent, so I started doing Iron Man also. I have since added more superheroes costumes to my closet so I can be whatever superhero the child I am going to see wants me to be. I currently dress up as the following superheroes:

Superman Iron Man Batman Spiderman Optimus Prime from Transformers Baymax from Big Hero 6 Captain America The Incredible Hulk (Coming Soon) Black Panther (Coming Soon) Bubble Bee from Transformers (Coming Soon) The Hulk Buster (Coming Soon) Armored Batman (Coming Soon)



Just please remember that everything that I do, ALL of this is done on my own time and my own money. My police department does not pay me to do what I do so anytime I go see a child during my work hours; I have to use my vacation time to do it. I also have an 8 year old daughter Savannah myself and she is my world. I do have my police department badge and patch on my costumes because I want everyone to know that I am a police officer and it helps me build a trusting relationship with them. If I learn of a terminally ill child that wants to see me, I will drop what I am doing to make that happen as quickly as possible. I will tell you a secret about police officers that everyone seems to forget, “We are no different than anyone else. “