The Carbon High auditorium was filled to capacity on Saturday afternoon to honor a special member of the community. Friends, family and law enforcement officers from throughout the state of Utah gathered to swear in Jace Marietti as an honorary deputy of the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office.
The event, Jace’s Dream, stemmed from when Jessi Adams met Jace.
“I only talked to him for 15 minutes,” Adams explained. “It only took that long for him to touch my heart.”
Soon after, she discovered Jace’s dream to become a police officer. Jessi then sought a way to help this special child’s dream come true.
Jace suffers from a disease known as Cockayne Syndrome. The disease causes his body to age exceedingly fast and causes problems with almost every organ in his body, especially his brain. Jace recently lost his ability to walk due to progression of the disease and the tremor in his hands limits his abilities. At only 17-years-old, Jace’s body is similar to of someone who is 90. There is no cure for Cockayne Syndrome and the average life expectancy for someone suffering the disease is 12 years. Jace has surpassed the average not only in his age, but in all aspects of his life.
“I have always known Jace is awesome,” stated Jace’s mother Valorie Marietti at the Jace’s Dream event. “I just didn’t realize everyone else realized how awesome he really is.”
An honorary deputy badge ceremony took place during the event. Carbon County Chief Deputy Tom Stefanoff, Lt. Troy Christiansen and Deputy Mike Adams presented Jace with his Carbon County Sheriff badge and swore him in as an honorary deputy.
In addition to that badge, Jace received a badge from every law enforcement department in the state of Utah thanks to Jessi. She started collecting badges from agencies throughout Carbon County after she discovered that Jace’s dream was to become a cop. Then, using Facebook, friends and family, contact was made with other agencies in the state. Soon, badges were pouring in.
After collecting badges from every law enforcement agency, Jessi wanted to do something special with them. The idea came around that a large quilt, complete with every badge stitched on, would be the perfect way to display the support Jace has throughout Utah.
After the event, Jace, now an official honorary deputy, made his way to dinner with some of his favorite heroes, his fellow cops.
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- Those in attendance sign a book that will be given to Jace
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- Chief Deputy Tom Stefanoff
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- Deputy Mike Adams
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- Miss Carbon County Brielle Bogdin and Jessi Adams
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- Valorie Marietti
