A retired San Diego County Sheriff's deputy (SDSO) who led some of the County's most high-profile cases has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, and the community is raising funds for the family.
Don Parker, 61, has been with the Sheriff's Department for 25 years. For eight of those years, he led the department's Search and Rescue team.
Though many San Diegans do not know Don Parker's name, they know his work. Parker coordinated search efforts for some of San Diego's most high-profile cases, including the search for teenagers Chelsea King and Amber Dubois.
"Don has been an incredible asset to the San Diego Sheriff Department, Sycuan Police Department, and has unselfishly given up much of his time to help others, including his wife Missy, whose son has been missing for over seven years," his family said in a statement on their GoFundMe page.
In May, Parker was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a life-threatening, cancerous brain tumor. Due to the severity of the cancer, 10 to 30 percent of the tumor could not be removed. He is currently undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatment.
“The type of brain tumor that Don has will require an incredible amount of care, time, patience and unfortunately, a lot of money,” stated his family on the page.
Doctors have told his wife this form of cancer is considered aggressive, and patients typically have 14 to 16 months to live.
Local
Many came out Wednesday to donate to the family at Chick-fil-A at 3750 Sports Arena Blvd. The family is facing some serious financial hardships as his wife will likely be unable to work, so she can take care of Don full time.
Those looking to donate can do so by donating to his family's GoFundMe page.
