By Beatriz E. Valenzuela
Daily Press
VICTORVILLE, Calif. — Less than six months after San Bernardino County Sheriff ‘s Apple Valley Deputy Derek Simpson went through brain surgery, he is grateful to be back on patrol.
“I’m just so glad to be back at the station,” Simpson said, despite the fact he hasn’t been cleared to perform full duties as a deputy and must continue to ride with a partner. Simpson hopes to have full clearance in September.
“It’s really good to have him back in any capacity,” said Sgt. Todd Newton. “The whole station feels that way.”
Simpson’s harrowing journey started in January, when he kept getting short of breath. On Jan. 23, after running tests including a magnetic resonance imaging scan, Simpson learned he had a brain tumor when his cell phone rang while sitting in a movie theater.
“When I found out, I thought I was dead,” he said in a previous interview.
From that day everything went by very quickly. In March surgeons were able to remove 2 ounces of the mass -- more than they originally thought they’d be able to remove, Simpson said.
When he came out of surgery, Simpson was humbled by the many people who showed him support -- some he had never met before.
“When the nurses were wheeling me into ICU, I looked inside the waiting room and it was full of people,” said Simpson. “Even at the (fund-raiser) pancake breakfasts, I was amazed to see the support, not just from friends and family, but from the Sheriff ‘s Department and the community as a whole.”
He recalled getting visits from captains, lieutenants and other high-ranking officials from other stations whom he didn’t know personally.
While Simpson thanks everyone who helped him on his road to recovery, he has a special place for a young Explorer who organized the two fundraisers for the deputy.
“Tyler McGee is a great kid,” said Simpson. “He is a real inspiration to me.”
Three years ago, McGee began riding with Simpson as an Explorer at about the same time Simpson joined the Sheriff ‘s Department. Then Simpson became one of the coordinators for the Explorers.
“I just wanted to do what I could to help since I couldn’t cure his tumor,” McGee said.
After several months in recovery, Simpson returned to the Apple Valley station in July on modified work duties. He spent a few weeks at a desk taking police reports before getting cleared for patrol with a partner.
“I was hoping to be on patrol by myself, but working with a partner is a great experience and the guys are great,” Simpson said.
Simpson will continue to be monitored by doctors to make sure the remaining benign mass is kept in check. He hopes to return to full duty in September, pending approval from his doctors.
“I have truly been blessed to be supported by not only my friends and family, but by the people in the Sheriff ‘s Department and the community,” Simpson said. “They have all been wonderful.”
Copyright 2009 Daily Press