Following a recent medical diagnosis, a family in California is going through the most challenging period of their lives. According to KNBC, after undergoing a colonoscopy this past February, retired Department of Justice officer, Laura Tomelloso, was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer which has since metastasized into ovarian cancer.
Weeks after her diagnosis, KABC reports Laura’s husband, Michael, who is a longtime LAPD Central Traffic Division officer, also received life-changing news when doctors told him he had Stage 4 throat cancer.
Carrie Cellini, a family friend, told KNBC: “It’s devastating, and for [Laura] going through that to find out your spouse is also going to be dealing with that.”
The LAPD Central Traffic Division in a statement posted to social media said the Tomellosos are the parents to two young boys, 14-year-old Mike Jr., and 10-year-old Matthew. The statement added:
“During their battle with cancer, which consists of ongoing medical treatments, surgeries and hospitalizations, they have an exhausting challenge in completing simple tasks.” The story continued “They have been relying on friends, neighbors, and church members in making life less challenging with their daily tasks and making their medical appointments, and to make Mike Jr. and Matthew’s childhood as positive as possible.”
LAPD rallies to help officer and wife battling stage 4 cancer https://t.co/qt8eebTfqW
— LAPDCTD (@LAPDCTD24) November 24, 2022
The Central Traffic Division also wrote Matthew is a home-schooled, special needs child that works with horses as part of his therapy. They said he can no longer attend therapy sessions due to the health of his parents. Friends and their church family have been helping the couple cook and clean, taking them to treatments and doctors’ appointments.
The LAPD has now set up a Blue Ribbon trust fund account to help raise money for the family. Donations can be made on their website – https://lapfcu.org/a-part-of-your-community
Michael Tomelloso
Account number: 5830803286
Mail to “Attn: Blue Ribbon Michael Tomelloso”
Make checks payable to “Blue Ribbon Trust for Michael Tomelloso”
LAPD Officer Bryce Verna told KABC: “Knowing what type of person he is and a family man, he was a Marine and he’s been a police officer for over 25 years and been married over 25 years to his wife, and to actually — not one person but two people go through that — it’s pretty much lottery odds.”
