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Warm Your Heart: Bergen Boy With Stage 4 Cancer Surprised By NJ State Police Chopper

PHOTOS: For a few moments Wednesday, young Cole McKeon of Waldwick and his family could think of something other than his Stage 4 cancer.

Ridgewood PBA Local 20 requested the visit so that Cole – whose dad, Kevin (pictured), is a Ridgewood police officer and mom, Stephanie, a schoolteacher – could see the helicopter up close.

Ridgewood PBA Local 20 requested the visit so that Cole – whose dad, Kevin (pictured), is a Ridgewood police officer and mom, Stephanie, a schoolteacher – could see the helicopter up close.

Photo Credit: Boyd A. Loving
New Jersey State Police Trooper Evan Curtiss (at right), a Ridgewood High School graduate and former village Emergency Services member, piloted the chopper.

New Jersey State Police Trooper Evan Curtiss (at right), a Ridgewood High School graduate and former village Emergency Services member, piloted the chopper.

Photo Credit: Boyd A. Loving
Curtiss, the McKeons and Cole.

Curtiss, the McKeons and Cole.

Photo Credit: Boyd A. Loving
Father and son.

Father and son.

Photo Credit: Boyd A. Loving

New Jersey State Police Trooper Evan Curtiss, a Ridgewood High School graduate and village Emergency Services member, piloted the chopper that landed Wednesday behind Ridgewood police headquarters.

Village PBA Local 20 requested the visit so that Cole – whose dad, Kevin, is a Ridgewood police officer and mom, Stephanie, a schoolteacher – could see the helicopter up close.

Neuroblastoma is “a fast-moving cancer that is in a form of a tumor near a kidney and it's already moved away to take on more space,” Kevin McKeon wrote after his son was diagnosed earlier this year.

“This came as a complete shock to us since he showed no significant signs of being sick,” the veteran officer added. “After investigating a stiff neck, something didn't ‘sit right’ with our amazing pediatrician and she ordered bloodwork.

“Follow-up blood work in the Hackensack ER turned from just anemia to a small mass on his kidney to a CT Scan that showed a much bigger problem. Every corner we have turned has been devastating.”

McKeon closed his post with: “Hug your kids, go donate blood, and let us be the ones to lose sleep over this news, not you. Life will go on and Cole will be a part of it for a very very long time.'

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DONATE: Cole's Fight Against Neuroblastoma

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Boyd A. Loving contributed to this account. SEE MORE of these photos at: https://tinyurl.com/colemckeonNJSPhelicopter

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